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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26698633">Thank Heaven for Little Girls</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/perfectromanceinmymind/pseuds/perfectromanceinmymind'>perfectromanceinmymind</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>SIX!kids!Samcedes 'verse [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Glee</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-05-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 10:40:39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>33,089</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26698633</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/perfectromanceinmymind/pseuds/perfectromanceinmymind</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Samcedes and their children. That's it - just a bunch of fluff in the form of random one-shots that jump around over a span of about 20 years.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Sam Evans/Mercedes Jones</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>SIX!kids!Samcedes 'verse [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2205876</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>“Well, everything looks great, mama!” The ultrasound tech was cheerful as she moved the wand around on Mercedes’s stomach, pointing out fingers and ears, the baby’s heartbeat echoing in the little room. “Did you guys want to know the gender?”</p><p>Mercedes looked at Sam, who shrugged. “Do you?” he asked her.</p><p>“Kind of?” Mercedes replied. “I mean, we really don’t care as long as they’re healthy –“</p><p>“Yeah, and we have transgender friends, so we know that what they’re born with might not stick,” Sam added in his usual blunt, foot-in-mouth sort of way.</p><p>“But the girls will want to know,” Mercedes continued. “So, yeah, go ahead and tell us.”</p><p>“Girls?” The tech said curiously and Mercedes nodded.</p><p>“Yes, we have two daughters already. They’re seven and four and super-excited,” she said.</p><p>“Well, looks like dad’s about to be super-outnumbered, because this one’s a girl too,” the tech said with a smile.</p><p>“YES!” This from Sam and Mercedes couldn’t help but laugh.</p><p>The tech smiled approvingly. “I like that response. I see way too many men getting upset when a baby’s not a boy.”</p><p>“Which is just ridiculous,” Sam said, “especially since it’s the sperm from the dude that determines the sex.”</p><p>“Honey,” Mercedes said, patting his arm. “She works at an OB/GYN office, she knows that.”</p><p>“Right. Anyway, it is ridiculous. Girls are great. One hundred percent hashtag-girldad, right here.”</p><p>The tech laughed. “He’s a keeper for sure.”</p><p>“Yeah, I know,” Mercedes said with a smile.</p><p>“Alright, well, I’ll leave you to get dressed. Make sure you grab the checkout form, I’ll leave it on the table by the door and they’ll get your next appointment set. Have a great day!”</p><p>Sam helped her down from the exam table and then stood, leaning in the doorway of the exam room bathroom while she discarded the paper and cloth drapes and got her clothes back on. She caught the smirk on his face as she turned back to the door.</p><p>“Checking me out?” she teased.</p><p>“Always,” he replied with a grin and she shook her head.</p><p>“Even looking like this?” she said, turning sideways and waving her hand over her belly, which, being her third pregnancy, was already pretty obvious, even at only twenty weeks.</p><p>Sam reached out and pulled her close. “You’re gorgeous, all the time, and I love you.”</p><p>She let him give her a kiss and then took a step back. “You’re really okay that it’s not a boy?”</p><p>“Of course I’m okay. We make gorgeous girls, we already have all the pink in the world and we kinda, sorta know what we’re doing with girls. Besides, I have a little brother. Boys are stinky and messy and they always want to be wrestling someone.”</p><p>Mercedes laughed. “You know that I know you would say the exact opposite of these things if we were about to have our third boy?”</p><p>“And I would mean them just as sincerely.”</p><p>“I know.” She gave him a quick hug and then picked up her purse. “C’mon, let’s go, before they think you’re back here trying to get me more pregnant.”</p><p>Sam laughed and they walked out of the room.</p><p>It was a short drive and they were soon home, where Mercedes’s mom had come over to watch the girls.</p><p>“Hey mama,” Mercedes said, kissing her mom’s cheek as they came in the back door and found Evelyn Jones in the kitchen.</p><p>“Hey! Well?” she said expectantly.</p><p>“Another granddaughter!” Sam said, quietly, but excitedly, not wanting the girls to hear him yet.</p><p>“Wonderful! It’s good that you won’t have to get a lot of new things.”</p><p>“Exactly. Where are the girls?”</p><p>Evelyn gestured out of the room. “In the playroom. You go on and tell them, I’ll finish getting your dinner prep done.”</p><p><br/>“Thank you, you’re the best!” Mercedes said and her mother smiled.</p><p>“Honey, I remember how worn out I was when I was pregnant with you and trying to take care of your brother. I can’t imagine having two to keep up with during pregnancy!”</p><p>“I think the real problem,” Mercedes said to Sam once they were out of her mother’s earshot, “is that James must have been an absolute holy terror, because I swear I’m not as fragile as she makes it sound.”</p><p>“I know,” he said as they reached the playroom; this was not the first time he’d heard this statement.</p><p>“Excuse me,” Sam said and both girls immediately looked up and smiled, “are there any future big sisters in this room?”</p><p>“Me, me, me!” Four-year-old Zoe came running at him and he caught her, swinging her up on to his hip.</p><p>“That’s right, you are,” he said, kissing her forehead.</p><p>“What about you, Gab?” Mercedes said to their seven-year-old, Gabrielle, who was sitting at their little table and coloring.</p><p>She had gone back to her picture and didn’t even look up from her drawing. “I’m already a big sister.”</p><p>“Well, that’s true,” Mercedes said, going to squat beside the table and then realizing that was not a smart idea and just flat-out sitting on the floor instead. “Oh, that was a mistake,” she muttered under her breath. “I’m gonna need help getting up eventually.”</p><p>Sam laughed and sat down beside her, Zoe in his lap.</p><p>“Anyway, Gabby,” she said, “some people get to be a big sister or brother more than once. Like Daddy, he’s a big brother to Uncle Stevie and Aunt Stacy. I think that’s pretty neat. I’m the youngest in my family, I never got to be a big sister. I sort of am now, to Uncle Stevie and Aunt Stacy, since I married Daddy, but that’s not the same. They were big kids when I met them and they were almost grown-ups by the time Daddy and I got married.”</p><p>Gabby nodded, still concentrating on her drawing.</p><p>Mercedes looked at Sam, their eyes meeting over Zoe’s head. “Is she upset? Or –“ Mercedes asked quietly and Sam shrugged.</p><p>“Or just indifferent?” he whispered back.</p><p>“Hey, Gab,” Sam said to her, “are you okay with being a big sister again?”</p><p>She nodded. “Yeah. I just want to finish my drawing.”</p><p>“Oh. Okay. Well, can Mommy and I talk to you for a minute and then you can go back to your drawing?”</p><p>“We thought you guys might want to know if the baby is going to be a little sister or a little brother?” Mercedes added, smiling at Zoe, who was now fully sprawled out across Sam’s lap, her head resting on Mercedes’s leg. Zoe turned her head just enough to address her mother’s belly.</p><p>“Yeah!” Zoe cheered. “Hi baby, what are you?”</p><p>Sam and Mercedes both laughed and Gabby put her crayon down. “Okay, I’m done enough,” she said, looking at her parents with an attitude that felt more like seventeen than seven.</p><p>Mercedes held out her arms to her oldest and was grateful when Gabby got out of the chair and came to sit on her other leg.</p><p>“Well,” she said, one hand on her stomach and the other arm wrapped around Gabby, “it’s another girl! You’re getting a little sister!”</p><p>Both girls cheered and Mercedes breathed a sigh of relief. She’d suspected that Gabby was not hoping for a brother.</p><p>“Oh, you guys, she’s moving around! She must be glad that you’re excited about her.”</p><p>“She’s moving?” Zoe looked and sounded incredulous and Mercedes nodded. “But how?” Zoe asked. “I thought she was stuck in your belly.”</p><p>“She is,” Mercedes said. “But she’s in a special spot in my belly and she has special liquid to like, swim around in. Like when you swim around in the big bathtub. So I can feel her moving when she does that.” She reached for Zoe and Gabby’s hands. “Do you want to try to feel?”</p><p>Both girls nodded and she took their hands, trying to get them situated in the best spot. It was so early on that the baby’s movement might not be noticeable to anyone but her, but when there was a sharp movement and both girls’ eyes went wide, she knew they had felt it too.</p><p>“That’s so weeeeiirrrrddd,” Zoe said and Mercedes laughed.</p><p>“Yeah,” Gabby added.</p><p>“It really kind of is, isn’t it?” Sam’s eyes met hers over the girls’ heads and she stifled a laugh, remembering how incredibly freaked out they had both been when Gabby had started moving around during that pregnancy. And with Zoe, while Gabby had been old enough to be curious, she was also still young enough that she didn’t remember any of it now. It really was going to be fun this time, with Gabby really old enough to understand and Zoe being that one year older than Gabby had been would make a huge difference there too.</p><p>She could tell Sam was dying for a chance to feel the baby moving too, so she said to the girls, “Okay, should we let Daddy have a turn?”</p><p>Zoe pulled at her father’s hand. “Right here, Daddy,” she said, pushing Sam’s hand onto Mercedes’s belly. Mercedes laughed and put her hand over his.</p><p>“Actually, more like – right here now,” she said, moving his hand a little to the left and he grinned.</p><p>“It’s just so amazing, every time,” he said and Mercedes smiled at him, crinkling her nose.</p><p>“Right?” she replied.</p><p>“All right, y’all, I’m leaving!” they heard Evelyn call from down the hall and Mercedes picked Zoe up and set her on her feet.</p><p>“You better go tell your gramma bye,” Mercedes said. “Tell her we’ll be there in a minute, Daddy’s gotta help me stand up first.”</p><p>The girls ran out of the room as instructed and Sam gave her belly one last pat and got up before holding his hands out for her to grab, helping her to her feet.</p><p>“Thank you,” she said.</p><p>“Anytime,” he said, giving her what was meant to be a quick kiss but turned lingering, as little feet came running back down the hall.</p><p>“Gramma says you better hurry up, she’s got to get home and make Grampa’s dinner!” Zoe was yelling as she burst back into the room, saw them kissing, and turned around to run back down the hall. “Gramma! Ewwwwwww! They’re kissing!”</p><p>Mercedes laughed, shaking her head as she pulled away from Sam and headed out of the room. “How you ever got me pregnant again with that little chaperone around is beyond me,” she muttered under her breath.</p><p>Sam grinned as he followed her. “That’s why kids sleep so hard and look so cute when they do. So that you’ll remember how much you love them <em>and</em> have time for the activities that lead to more of them.”</p><p>Mercedes considered this. “Yeah, you’re not wrong.”</p><p>“Science, babe. Pure facts.”</p><p>Mercedes burst out laughing at that and they kept walking to the kitchen.</p><p>Later, after dinner was finished, Sam got the dishwasher loaded and the girls bathed and ready for bed so Mercedes could have an hour or two in the studio – she was working on a new song and felt like she was just on the edge of the creative breakthrough, but couldn’t quite get there. Finally she threw her pen down, pushed her notebook aside and headed back into the main part of the house.</p><p>The TV was still on in the den, but muted and most of the lights off, when she looked in there and so she continued upstairs. She stopped first in Zoe’s room and found the little one already sound asleep. She straightened her pink blanket, smoothed a hand over her hair, and, balancing herself carefully, leaned down to kiss her forehead.</p><p>Then she stepped across the hall to Gabby’s room, stopping just out of sight of the doorway as she heard Gabby saying, “Daddy?”</p><p>“Yes, honey,” she heard Sam reply, catching just the faintest tinge of tiredness in his voice. She would bet money that Gabby had already gone to the bathroom, requested a glass of water, had a song sung to her, maybe two, and still somehow wasn’t ready to go to sleep.</p><p>“Why do you and Mommy need another baby?” Oh, Mercedes thought, putting her hand over her heart. It was the ‘mommy’ that really got to her. Gabby had pretty much stopped calling her that as she hit ‘seven-going-on-seventeen.’ She used just the shortened ‘mom’ most of the time.</p><p>“Well,” Sam said slowly, “it’s not so much that we need another baby, it’s that we get to have one.”</p><p>“But why? Aren’t me and Zoe enough kids around here?”</p><p>“Hey, Gab, come here,” Sam said, holding his arms out to her and she sat up and let him hug her. “You two are plenty of kids. But sometimes, things happen – especially babies – that you don’t always plan on. They happen kind of by accident. And you adjust to a new plan. And that’s what we’re doing now.”</p><p>Gabby sat back against her pillows, arms crossed, frowning. “But you said you and Mommy have to work together to make the baby. How do you work together on accident?”</p><p>Well, damn, Sam thought. She had been paying attention two months ago when they’d first told the girls about the new baby and they’d immediately wanted to know how the baby got in Mommy’s uterus. They’d agreed a long time ago that, especially with having had friends have a baby in their sophomore year of high school, they wanted to be open and honest with their kids about sex and make sure they were informed and knew they could always come to them with their questions. But good Lord, it was a LOT harder in practice than in theory.</p><p>“Well,” he said, even more slowly than the last time he’d said the word, and Mercedes decided he might need some help.</p><p>“Hey,” she said softly, entering the room and coming to sit on the other side of Gabby’s bed. “I heard your question – can I answer it?”</p><p>Gabby and Sam both nodded and she choked back a laugh at the relieved look on her husband’s face.</p><p>“Okay. So the way that a man and woman work together to make a baby – and remember that hthis is something for grown-ups – well, it can be a lot of fun. So sometimes they work together even if they’re not trying to make a baby. And sometimes you get a baby anyway, which is why you should be a grown-up.” She studied her daughter’s face, trying to gauge her comprehension. “Does that make sense?”</p><p>Gabby nodded. “Kind of. I think.”</p><p>Mercedes smiled. “I think you’re tired. Why don’t you sleep on it and you can ask more questions tomorrow if you have them?”</p><p>Gabby nodded, leaning forward to hug first Mercedes and then Sam.</p><p>“I love you, sweetie,” Mercedes said.</p><p>“Love you, kiddo,” from Sam as they both got up and headed out of the room.</p><p>“Thank you,” Sam said as they headed downstairs. “I totally froze.”</p><p>Mercedes shook her head as they settled on the couch. “It’s okay. You know I’m not totally comfortable either, but it’s the best thing for them, so I power through.” She looked thoughtful. “Maybe it’s better to have most of it come from me for right now. You might be more helpful as they get older, help them understand what it’s like for the guys that they might date or be friends with.” She rested her head on Sam’s shoulder. “I love watching you with them though.”</p><p>“We make a good team,” he said lightly, kissing the top of her head.</p><p>“That we do,” she said, snuggling in closer. “That we do.”</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Y'all - I don't even know where all this baby-filled future stuff is coming from - I'm not even that into babies myself, personally. But my head keeps filling up with all this happy domestic fluff and so here it is. And there will still be even a little more! Enjoy - please let me know what you think - the feedback and encouragement keeps me going!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Almost 3 years later</strong>
</p><p>Sam rolled over, his arm almost automatically reaching out for his wife, his eyes opening when he felt her grab his hand.</p><p>"Careful," Mercedes said. "Don't hit him."</p><p>He blinked a couple times, the room coming into focus as he realized she was sitting up in bed, their eight-month-old son nestled in her arms. She had that hazy, contented look she almost always had when she was nursing one of their babies, although to be fair, considering the relatively early hour on this Sunday morning, she could also just be tired. Four kids will do that to a person.</p><p>"Whoops, sorry, bud," he said, lightly ruffling the infant's hair before sitting up himself and scooching over next to her and kissing her cheek. "Morning, babe."</p><p>Mercedes smiled and turned her head to give him an actual kiss. "Morning." They both watched Caleb eating for a minute, relishing the moment of quiet. With three big sisters around, moments like these – just the two of them and the baby - were kind of rare.</p><p>"Happy Father's Day," she said after a while and he smiled.</p><p>"That is today, isn't it?"</p><p>"Like the girls haven't been bouncing off the walls all week about going down to Columbus today," she said.</p><p>Sam grinned. "It's gonna be a good day."</p><p>"Yeah," she agreed. "And, I have a present for you."</p><p>"You do?" He was surprised. They didn't really do Mother's and Father's Day gifts, although he did always get her flowers for Mother's Day, despite her telling him it was unnecessary. But they'd long ago agreed that the better way to spend those two particular holidays was by ignoring all responsibilities for a day and doing something fun with the kids.</p><p>She nodded. "Yeah. I wanted to give it to you before the rest of the crew is up."</p><p>Sam wiggled his eyebrows at her. "Oh, is it <em>that</em> kind of present?" he asked suggestively and she swatted his arm before gesturing at Caleb.</p><p>"With the baby here? No, honey."</p><p>He shrugged. "Can't blame a guy for trying. But seriously – you didn't have to get me anything. You've given me four beautiful children – that's gift enough."</p><p>"Oh, I think you'll like it," she said and then paused, chewing on her lower lip for a second. "At least, I hope you will." She looked down at Caleb and smiled. "Oh, good, he's asleep." She eased the sleeping baby off her breast and pulled her tank top down before leaning over to place him in the bedside bassinet that they kept in their room. Then she reached into the drawer of her bedside table and pulled out a small box, about the size that a watch might come in, and handed it to Sam.</p><p>Sam took it from her and looked at her questioningly, noting that she seemed – almost nervous. "'Cedes – " he started to say and she cut him off.</p><p>"Just open it, please, Sam?"</p><p>Definitely a nervous tint to her voice. Sam pulled the lid off the box and looked at the contents uncomprehendingly for a minute.</p><p>It was a pregnancy test. A positive pregnancy test.</p><p>He looked from the box to her, back to the box and then back at her. "Wait. Is this new? Are you – are we – again?"</p><p>She nodded. "Yeah. Here comes number five!" she said, sounding half-excited, half-apprehensive.</p><p>"Oh my God, Mercedes, really?"</p><p>She nodded again. "Yeah – really."</p><p>"How long have you known? Why didn't you say anything?"</p><p>Mercedes shrugged. "I just figured it out a couple days ago. You know my period is always wonky when I'm nursing and I only just went back on the pill a couple months ago, so I didn't think anything about it when I didn't have one in May, but then when it hadn't come yet in the second month – all of a sudden I just knew. So I took the test on Friday and well, since it was so close to Father's Day, I thought –"</p><p>The rest of her sentence was lost as Sam enveloped her in his arms, covering her mouth with his, putting all the emotion into the kiss that he couldn't find the words for.</p><p>"I guess you're good with it?" she said with a small laugh when they broke apart.</p><p>"Of course I am," he said happily, putting his hand over her stomach. "I love you, I love our kids – what's one more at this point? Are you okay though? I know it's obviously a lot harder on you than it is on me, being pregnant."</p><p>Mercedes nodded. "Yeah, I'm okay. I'll admit, I was a little sad at first, thinking that I'll get so little time with Caleb as a baby – they'll only be sixteen months apart. He and Bri are at least a full two years between them. And I'm obviously not doing any shows this summer anyway so we'll have to see how this changes things for the upcoming year as far as work goes. But I don't mind being pregnant – although at my age, I do think this needs to be the last one. Either I get my tubes tied or you get a vasectomy or maybe both, as fertile as we apparently are together."</p><p>Sam laughed at that, before saying, almost half-seriously, "C'mon, you're only forty-one. Women are having babies into their fifties these days."</p><p>"Hell to the no, Sam. I mean it."</p><p>"No, you're right. I know," he said, his arm around her shoulders, squeezing her tight to his side. "How did this happen anyway?" he said curiously. "We're generally pretty careful when we're not trying."</p><p>"I'm thinking your birthday? Remember, I had just gone back on the pill right around then? We probably should've kept using condoms too for another week or two, but…"</p><p>Sam smiled, remembering his fortieth birthday weekend back in April. The kids had gone to Quinn and Ty's for the weekend, a sitter had watched their four plus Jackson on the Friday night and the two couples went into Columbus for a fancy dinner. Ty and Quinn Ubered home that night, but he and Mercedes had gotten a room at the fancy Hilton downtown. Mercedes had probably had way too much to drink that night, knowing that it would all be out of her system before she'd nurse Caleb again, and in all honesty, he'd probably had more than he should have too, but at any rate, once getting to their hotel room on the Friday night, he'd immediately taken her to bed and they hadn't gotten out of it again until it was time to check out on the Sunday morning.</p><p>"So – it's a birthday present <em>and</em> a Father's Day present," he joked and Mercedes laughed.</p><p>"Listen, if you're gonna have this many kids, you gotta learn to be efficient," she joked in return.</p><p>"Speaking of kids, are we telling the girls yet?" Sam asked.</p><p>Mercedes shook her head no. "No, I want to go see my doctor first and then still probably wait another month or so. I'm thinking I'm about eight weeks, so next month will put us at twelve weeks. Is that okay? Can we keep a secret that long?"</p><p>Sam grinned. "Um, isn't keeping things secret kind of our thing?"</p><p>She laughed. "I love you."</p><p>"Yeah, well, I love you."</p><p>"Can I tell – "<br/>"Yes, you can tell Blaine," she laughed. "You can tell anyone that you trust not to blab to the girls before we're ready to tell them." She added sheepishly, "Besides, I'll probably tell Quinn this afternoon anyway." For this year's outing they were driving down to Columbus to spend the afternoon with Quinn, Ty and Jackson at the Columbus Museum of Science and Industry.</p><p>Sam grabbed his phone. "Okay, let's call Blaine and Kurt right now," he said, already hitting the Facetime button before she could protest.</p><p>"Hey!" Blaine said, first smiling, then frowning. "Wait, is this call on purpose or accidental? Because it looks like you're in bed with no clothes on."</p><p>"Almost correct on both counts, but I am wearing pants," Sam replied. "And Mercedes is dressed," he added, quickly turning the phone towards her and then back to him.</p><p>"Oh my God, at least go put a shirt on," Mercedes said, shoving at his shoulder. He handed her the phone and slid out of bed, leaving her looking at a very amused Blaine.</p><p>"Hi Blaine," she said. "Sorry about that, I do the best I can with him."</p><p>"I know," Blaine said in sympathy. "I lived with him once too, remember?"</p><p>"I know," Mercedes laughed. "So I know you feel my pain."</p><p>"Ha, ha, ha, both of you," Sam said as he came back to sit beside her on the bed, now with a '2035 National Show Choir Championships' tshirt on. "Anyway, where's Kurt? We wanted to wish you a happy Father's day and tell you about the present Mercedes got me."</p><p>"It's really kinda more like a present you got yourself," Mercedes said under her breath and Sam flashed her a smile.</p><p>"Aw, thanks," Blaine said. "Happy Father's day to you too, man. Hey, Kurt!" he called. "C'mere, Sam and Mercedes are on the phone."</p><p>"I heard," they could hear from off-camera. "Be right there."</p><p>In a moment, Kurt appeared over Blaine's shoulder. "Hey, guys!"</p><p>Sam looked at Mercedes. "You tell them."</p><p>"You're the one who wanted to call them!"</p><p>"Oh yeah," Sam said. "Sorry guys, it's early. Anyway – so. Would Tracy and Hudson like another cousin?"</p><p>Both men gasped and then started talking at once. "Are you – " "AGAIN?"</p><p>Mercedes grinned ruefully. "Yup – knocked up again, y'all."</p><p>"Oh, that's amazing! Wonderful news!" Blaine said. Kurt was a bit more blunt.</p><p>"My God, you two, you do know how this happens right? I swear Sam, it's like you just look at her and she gets pregnant."</p><p>"It does feel that way sometimes," Mercedes agreed cheerfully.</p><p>"Whatever, I mean, come on. Look at my wife – wouldn't you be all over her? I mean, if you were into ladies?"</p><p>"Thank you for that caveat," Kurt said dryly. Mercedes laughed, putting her hand on Sam's arm.</p><p>"Baby, you approached that backwards. Let me try. Come on, guys – look at my husband. Would you turn him down?"</p><p>Kurt, Blaine and Sam all laughed then. "Ah, yes, now we see your point," Kurt said, still deadpan.</p><p>"Anyway, well, happy Father's Day, indeed!" Blaine said. "Congratulations, really."</p><p>"Yeah, we really are happy for you," Kurt said.</p><p>"Mommy! Daddy! It's museum day!" Zoe was yelling and the sound was coming closer.</p><p>"Sounds like you guys have big plans today," Kurt said.</p><p>"We're meeting up with Quinn and co in Columbus."<br/>"Oh, fun!" Blaine said.</p><p>"Give them our love," Kurt added. They exchanged goodbyes and hung up the call as the bedroom door flew open and three little girls burst in, ready for the day to begin in earnest.</p><p>Over in New York, Kurt was still shaking his head. "Listen - I may have been wrong about her being pregnant by the end of the year they got married, but once they got started - sweet Jesus, they just haven't stopped!"</p><p>"Thank God she wouldn't sleep with him back when we were all living in New York. Can you imagine how many children they'd have by now if they'd started seven years sooner?" Blaine replied.</p><p>"I can't even contemplate it."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>About a month later</strong>
</p><p>The family had just settled into their den for family movie night – with a ten year old, seven year old and just turned three year old, it was getting harder to find movies that worked for all of them, but there was still quite a bit of the Disney catalog to work through. Mercedes settled into the couch, Sam beside her, Brianna curled up beside him. Caleb was happily laying on a blanket on the floor, currently trying to eat his toes, and the two older girls were sprawled out across the two loveseats in the room.</p><p>Sam glanced at Mercedes and she nodded.</p><p>"Hey, girls? So your mom and I have something to tell you."</p><p>Zoe perked up. "You're finally taking us to Disney World!"</p><p>"Well, no," Sam said. "Although Nationals are in Orlando next year, so it's a possibility. We'll see. But something else exciting is going to happen to our family before that – "</p><p>"Oh my God," Gabby said, this not being the first time she's heard one of these announcements, she was catching on quicker than her sisters. "Are you guys having <em>another</em> baby? Really?"</p><p>"Another baby?" Zoe said. "Really?"</p><p>It was funny, Mercedes thought, how the same set of words could sound completely different depending on how they were said.</p><p>She nodded. "Yup! One more little brother or sister and then we promise, that's it."</p><p>"I hope so," Gabby said, looking and sounding utterly disgusted.</p><p>Zoe looked confused. "Why? Babies are fun and cute!"</p><p>Gabby shook her head. "You're too young to understand. It's just gross."</p><p>With that proclamation, she got up and left the room in a huff, leaving a wide swath of confusion in her wake.</p><p>"What the hell was that about?" Sam muttered under his breath.</p><p>"I think I have an idea," Mercedes said. "I'll go talk to her, go ahead and start the movie."</p><p>She got up and Zoe did too, coming over to give her a hug. "I'm excited, Mommy. I love babies!"</p><p>Mercedes smiled at her. It was true – Zoe did love babies. She fully expected this child to end up in some kind of early-childhood-based career one day. "I know you do. Thank you. Why don't you go give Daddy a hug too? I'm gonna go talk to your sister."</p><p>She headed down the hallway to the bedrooms and tapped lightly at Gabby's door.</p><p>"Go away," Gabby said.</p><p>"Gab – honey, please let me come in and talk to you."</p><p>A huge heavy sigh and then finally, "Fine."</p><p>Mercedes opened the door and walked into to find Gabby lying on her stomach on the bed, head turned away from the door. She went and sat on the edge of the bed.</p><p>"Sweetie, what's wrong?" Gabby didn't answer and Mercedes continued. "I know it's a lot of kids. I never thought I'd have this many, but, here I am. You're still my first baby – any more that come along doesn't mean I love you any less. You know that, right?"</p><p>Gabby sighed heavily. "I know that. It's not the actual baby – it's – it's whatyouhavetoletdaddotomakethebaby. That is so gross, mom!"</p><p>It took Mercedes a minute to decipher the words that spilled out of her daughter's mouth, all crammed together in her rush to get it all out. Once she had figured it out she wasn't sure whether to laugh or be horrified. It was not at all what she'd suspected was bothering her girl.</p><p>"Gabby, are you talking about sex?"</p><p>She nodded, looking away. "You gave me that book for my birthday. So I know how it works now. And I just don't get how you can let dad do that to you."</p><p>"Oh, Gab – " she paused, taking a deep breath, trying to collect her thoughts and put the right words together. "Okay. First of all, it's okay that you don't understand. You're not supposed to yet, you're too young. I'm glad you think it's gross right now, because at your age, it is. It's not something for kids to do. You need to be a lot, lot older, okay?"</p><p>Gabby nodded and she continued, "Second, it's not something he does <em>to</em> me, it's something we do <em>together</em>. It's personal and private, but that doesn't mean it's bad or gross, it just means it's just for the two of us to share. Does that make sense?"</p><p>"I guess so?" Gabby was quiet for a minute and Mercedes just watched her, letting her work through it. As she did, she thought about how, even now, on her fifth pregnancy, she'd never had a conversation with her own mother as open as this.</p><p>Finally Gabby sat up and looked at her. "But do you <em>have</em> to do it?"</p><p>Mercedes smiled. "No, I don't have to. Your dad loves me and respects me and would never make me do anything I don't want to do. But I love him too and so I want to. It feels good and it helps us feel connected to each other. And that's important for a marriage, for a relationship."</p><p>"Oh."</p><p>"Sweetie, come here," Mercedes said gently, reaching out to pull her daughter to her side. "I know this is really confusing stuff. It was confusing for me when I was young too."</p><p>"Really?"</p><p>Mercedes nodded. "Really. But that's okay right now. You've got plenty of time to figure it out in, oh, ten years or so."</p><p>"Is that when you figured it out?"</p><p>Mercedes laughed softly, thinking back to herself at twenty. "Some of it. Some things took longer."</p><p>"I'm sorry I said you and Daddy were gross," Gabby mumbled into her side and Mercedes laughed quietly.</p><p>"It's okay. You know what?" she said in a conspiratorial whisper.</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"Sometimes Daddy <em>is</em> gross," she said, as though she were sharing a huge secret, and Gabby giggled.</p><p>"Yeah, like when he leaves his stinky socks on the living room floor," she said.</p><p>"Exactly that," Mercedes agreed. "Or when he comes home from playing basketball with Uncle Will and Uncle Jake and tries to hug me when he's all sweaty. Blech!" she said, laughing and making an exaggerated yuck face, causing Gabby to giggle harder.</p><p>"Maybe all boys are gross," Gabby said once she'd calmed down a little. "Caleb peed on Dad the other day."</p><p>"Boys probably do tend to have a slightly higher gross factor," Mercedes agreed. "But – you peed on your dad once too when you were a baby."</p><p>"No." Gabby was horrified at this.</p><p>"Yeah. He had just finished giving you a bath in the sink, so you were real little – and we were brand-new parents who didn't have a clue what we were doing – so we hadn't brought a clean diaper to the kitchen and he went to take you back to your room to put a diaper on you and by the time he got to your room – pee. All over his t-shirt," she said, laughing as she remembered the scene.</p><p>"Was he mad?"</p><p>"Oh, no. Mostly just confused. He just kept saying 'I can't believe she peed on me!'"</p><p>"I can't believe I did that either." She frowned. "I still think boys are grosser though."</p><p>"That's why sometimes you just need to hang with your girls."</p><p>"Like when you and Aunt Quinn and Aunt Britt and Aunt Sugar go out dancing?"</p><p>Mercedes grinned. "Yup, exactly like that."</p><p>"I hope I have friends like that one day."</p><p>Oh, my sweet, precious first-born girl, I can only hope you have friends like the ones I've been blessed with and someone who loves you like your dad loves me and work that you love as much as I love mine, Mercedes thought. It was her prayer for all her kids. Out loud, she just said, "I hope so too. I love you so much," hugging Gabby tightly.</p><p>"Love you too, mom."</p><p>"C'mon, let's go watch the movie."</p><p>"Can movie night be a girl's night?"</p><p>"How do you mean? We can't really kick Daddy out of family movie night, that's not very nice."</p><p>"No – I just meant – will you sit with me?"</p><p>Mercedes smiled. Now that Gabby was in double-digits, the time she wanted to spend close to her mother was becoming less and less so Mercedes was definitely not letting this moment get away.</p><p>"Of course."</p><p>"Will Daddy be sad?"</p><p>Mercedes shook her head. "Maybe. Probably not. But it's okay. I'll explain it to him later if that's okay with you?"</p><p>Gabby nodded. "Okay." She took Mercedes's proffered hand and they headed back to the living room. Coming down the hallway, she could see that Caleb was now standing on Sam's knees, his little hands in Sam's, doing that funny little bouncing thing that babies do when they can't quite yet stand on their own and he squealed with delight as he saw his mother coming back.</p><p>"What are you so happy about, buddy?" Sam said to him. "What is that smile for?"</p><p>He turned to look in their direction and saw Mercedes and Gabby returning and he grinned too. "Oh," he said, turning back to the baby, "you saw your mama, didn't you? I get it, I smile pretty big when I see your mama too, yes I do." Caleb laughed at him as Mercedes paused behind the couch.</p><p>"Hi, baby boy," she said, leaning over Sam's shoulder. "Hi there!"</p><p>"Everything okay?" Sam asked quietly and she nodded.</p><p>"Yup. I'll fill you in later," she whispered back, kissing his cheek and booping the baby's nose before going to sit on the loveseat with Gabby and Brianna. (Brianna had quickly seized the opportunity to have a couch to herself after Gabby had stormed off.)</p><p>Sam shot his wife a quizzical look – she pretty much always ended up asleep on his shoulder on movie nights, so it <em>was</em> kind of unusual for her to not sit with him - and she grinned back at him. "We're leaving the boys to their own devices and having some girl time over here," she said with a shrug.</p><p>"Gotcha," he replied before addressing his son. "Caleb – we're outnumbered either way - but you better hope there's a little brother cooking over there or you and I are really doomed." The baby and his mother both just laughed.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Another month later</p><p>"I'm sorry, what?" Sam wasn't sure he'd heard correctly and beside him, on the exam table, Mercedes looked shell-shocked.</p><p>"Twins," the ultrasound tech said cheerfully, pointing at the screen. "There's Baby A and there's Baby B."</p><p>"Oh my God…" his voice trailed off as he leaned in closer to the screen and then he jumped about a foot in the air when from beside him came, "Are you fucking kidding me?"</p><p>Sam looked at his wife in alarm. Mercedes was not a huge fan of the F word and it was rare for it to cross her lips. Her hand had already flown up to cover her mouth. "I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't mean to – I just – I was not expecting – seriously? What the hell?"</p><p>"No history of twins in your families?"</p><p>"My brother and sister are twins, actually," Sam said, "but I don't know of any others in recent generations. And this is our fifth baby –"</p><p>"Fifth and sixth, apparently," Mercedes muttered and he squeezed her hand in what he hoped was a reassuring manner.</p><p>"- and we obviously don't have any other sets of twins, so I honestly never thought about it being a possibility."</p><p>"Me neither," Mercedes said, leaning back against the exam table with a sigh. Then she sat back up and gave him a fierce glare. "This settles it – this is it, baby."</p><p>He grinned sheepishly. 'Yeah, I know."</p><p>She looked at the tech. "Can you put a note in my chart that I want to discuss permanent birth control options with Dr. Harris, please?" She pointed in Sam's direction. "And get me a referral to a urologist for this one? I am taking no more chances with Mr. Super Sperm over here."</p><p>Sam and the tech both stifled laughter, although the tech, trying to remain professional, was a bit more successful than Sam was. "I'll get that taken care of for you. I'm going to go ahead and leave you two alone. Take your time, they'll have you ready to check out whenever you're ready. And they'll have that referral for you."</p><p>"It's not funny, Sam," she warned him before sort of half-laughing/half-crying herself. "Oh, Lord," she muttered.</p><p>"I know, I'm sorry," he said, taking both her hands in his. "But it's not so bad, right?"</p><p>She shook her head. "No, I'm sorry too. I'm being ridiculous. I'm just in shock, I think. We weren't even planning on the one this time and now it's two? This is crazy."</p><p>"I know," he said, twisting around to grab her a tissue from the box on the counter, which she accepted gratefully. "But we'll figure it out. We always have."</p><p>She nodded. "I know. I'm sorry."</p><p>"Quit apologizing," he admonished her. "You didn't get pregnant on your own, remember?"</p><p>She cracked a smile at that. "You're damn right. I blame this all on you, my friend."</p><p>Sam grinned. "I'll take the blame. Well, most of it, anyway."</p><p>"Okay, that's fair," she conceded. "I guess I was a willing participant."</p><p>"Yeah you were," Sam said, still grinning and she rolled her eyes.</p><p>"Sam. SIX kids! You are halfway to qualifying for sectionals with JUST OUR CHILDREN!"</p><p>Sam frowned. "But they won't all be in high school at the same time…"</p><p>"Sam. I didn't mean it literally. I'm just saying. Six. I don't know why that seems like so much more than five, but oh my God. Do they even make cars we can fit the whole family in without getting one of those great big vans?"</p><p>"I think, maybe, like a Tahoe or an Expedition or something?" he said cautiously.</p><p>"Okay. I can live with that." Somehow, the idea that she won't have to drive some giant van made her visibly calmer. Sam idly wondered for a minute if maybe twice the babies also meant twice the hormones? He made a mental note to Google that some time.</p><p>"At least SUVs are a thing now," Sam pointed out. "You don't have to drive a big old station wagon like the mom on the Brady Bunch did with her six kids."</p><p>"Yeah, well, the mom on the Brady Bunch only had to birth three of those kids. The first Mrs. Brady had the other three," Mercedes retorted.</p><p>They were silent for a minute and then they made the mistake of looking at each other and they burst into laughter. It was not the most inane discussion they'd ever had – but it wasn't the least one either and it broke the tension.</p><p>"Okay," Mercedes said finally. "Sitting here and bitching about this isn't going to stop two babies from coming. Let's go home and worry about our bigger problem."</p><p>"The other kids are going to be upset about a second baby?"</p><p>Mercedes shook her head. "No. Our friends are NEVER going to let us hear the end of this."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Okay - one more future family moment here and then I think I've got this out of my system for now and can get back to Dancing with Dreams. As always, enjoy and let me know what you think! Thank you!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>7 Years Later</strong>
</p><p>"Gabrielle Evans, if your ass is not STANDING by the back door in the next FIVE minutes, I am CUTTING you from the team and you're NOT GOING to Nationals!"</p><p>Sam's bellow echoed through the kitchen and probably the whole house, and at the kitchen table Mercedes closed her eyes for a moment.</p><p>"Lord give me strength," she muttered as giggles erupted from the three youngest Evans children.</p><p>"Dad said 'ass,'" eight-year-old Caleb said, still giggling.</p><p>"Yes, he did," Mercedes replied calmly. "Does that mean you should say it?"</p><p>The giggling stopped. "No, ma'am. Sorry."</p><p>"Thank you. Finish your breakfast. You too," she added, pointing at the six-year-old twins, Allison and Olivia, and all three children turned their attention back to their cereal.</p><p>Sam came back in from the garage then, having taken his and Gabby's suitcases out to the truck. He was clearly still agitated.</p><p>"Baby," Mercedes said, getting up and putting her hand on his arm. "You've got plenty of time."</p><p>"I'm in charge, I should be there first."</p><p>Mercedes bit back a smile. She loved how passionate he was about his job, but whew. It was a little exhausting too. New Directions was once again on their way to Nationals, this year being held in Washington, DC. The team and their chaperones – Will and Emma, along with Jake and his wife Natalie, another dance teacher at McKinley – were meeting at the school to take a bus to the Columbus airport to fly to DC. They'd have two days there before the competition began on Saturday – she and the rest of the kids were flying out on Friday to be there for the weekend. Quinn &amp; Britt were tagging along with her, to cheer on the team and help her with the kids, since Sam would be in work-mode. It was the 30th anniversary this year of their own Nationals win and Kurt and Blaine were planning to come down too. They were still trying to convince Rachel to come, but she was currently on Broadway and hated to miss four performances. They weren't sure about any of the others – Sugar was off on some meditation retreat in the Himalayan Mountains or maybe the Andes or something, Tina and Artie were on a movie set in Europe, Rory of course in Ireland, Joe still ministering somewhere and Mike always busy with work.</p><p>Gabby was seventeen and a junior in high school this year – it was her first year on the team since she'd opted not to audition until this year. And yes, she'd had to audition – her father didn't automatically give her one of the highly coveted spots. Years ago, Sam had put into a place a senior glee advisory board – five twelfth-grade members of the team who were responsible for final decisions on new members, song selections, costumes and more.</p><p>"GABBY! TWO MINUTES!"</p><p>There was movement on the stairs, but unfortunately for Sam, it was fourteen-year-old Zoe who was coming down them.</p><p>"She's still fixing her hair," Zoe said, rolling her eyes. "Trying to be beautiful for Patrick," she added, batting her eyelashes.</p><p>"Shut UP, Zoe!" Gabby snapped as she finally made her appearance.</p><p>Mercedes shook her head. "Zoe? No," she said sharply. "Quit teasing your sister."</p><p>"Patrick," Sam muttered under his breath before shaking his head and looking at his oldest daughter. "It's about time. Let's go."</p><p>"Gosh, daddy, calm down. We're not late," Gabby said, with that air that so many teenagers seem to have – the idea that the world will wait for them forever.</p><p>He shook his head again.</p><p>Mercedes called up the stairs. "Brianna, are you ready for school? Come say good-bye to your dad and Gabby!"</p><p>Gabby headed towards the door, waving in the general direction of her family. "Bye," she said and Mercedes fixed her with a look. "Bye, mom," she said, coming back over to give her mother a hug.</p><p>"Be good," Mercedes said. "Remember, for the next couple days, he's not your dad, he's your teacher and your coach. Be nice to him."</p><p>"Yes, mother."</p><p>"Text me if you realize you forgot anything."</p><p>She was already halfway out the door, calling back, "Okay!" And then, "Come on, dad! Who's holding us up now?"</p><p>Sam finished doling out hugs to the younger children, including ten-year-old Brianna, who had finally made it downstairs, and, grimacing, turned towards Mercedes. "At least the girls will primarily be with Emma and Nat," he said. "If we can avoid each other as much as possible, we might survive this."</p><p>"She's just a being a teenager," Mercedes said. "And once you get there, you'll calm down too."</p><p>"I know, you're right. I get too worked up."</p><p>"You do. So calm down – have fun – and kick some show choir ass, okay?"</p><p>A gasp from the table. "Now mommy said-"</p><p>"Allison. Nope," Mercedes said, cutting her off before she could echo her. "You don't need to say it either."</p><p>Sam was grinning now. "Okay," he agreed, leaning down to give her a kiss.</p><p>"Oh and listen," she said, more quietly so that the kids wouldn't hear her. "Go easy on that Patrick kid, okay? It's just a crush – they don't even know if they really like each other or not. Let them figure it out." She smiled. "Remember the first time we went to Nationals?"</p><p>He smiled back and kissed her again. "Yeah." Then he shook his head. "I still cannot believe they let Will take the thirteen of us to New York City with NO other chaperones. That trip was a lawsuit waiting to happen."</p><p>"Oh, as a parent now? It was full-on insane," she agreed. "But as a student? Best. Trip. Ever."</p><p>Sam laughed. "These poor kids today. They'll never understand what all we got away with."</p><p>"Probably better that way," Mercedes said, giving him one more kiss before pushing him in the direction of the door. "Now go on, I love you and I'll see you Friday. I gotta get the rest of these monsters to school!"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Going a little bit back in time on this one. I figure I'll just keep posting vignettes of their life here as they come to me and we'll bounce around in time as we go. Enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>June 2024</em>
</p><p>"I have to call Kurt," Mercedes said as she and Sam broke apart from their embrace.</p><p>Sam couldn't help but laugh. "Really? Not your mom or my mom? Kurt?"</p><p>She grinned back at him. "Like you aren't dying to tell Blaine."</p><p>"Well, I mean, yeah, but," he stopped talking, knowing it was a pointless argument, and sank down to sit on the edge of the bathtub. "Can we take just, like, a few more minutes where it's just you and me and nobody else knows?"</p><p>He was gazing up at her with an expression that was a mixture of shock and awe and wonder, an expression that she certainly couldn't say no to. She nodded, taking a step closer and reaching out to brush his hair back from his face.</p><p>"Yean," she said softly.</p><p>"A <em>baby</em>, Mercedes," he breathed, bringing his hands up to rest on her stomach. "<em>Our</em> baby."</p><p>She nodded again, suddenly not trusting herself to speak as she put her hands over his and he leaned forward to kiss her abdomen. "Hi baby," he said and this time, she was the one who couldn't help but laugh.</p><p>"Sam, I don't think they even have ears yet this early."</p><p>He shrugged. "I don't care, I want him or her to know that I love them and I love their mama and also I can't believe it happened so fast. But that statement's more for you than for them."</p><p>Mercedes had to agree with him there. They'd been married for about a year and a half now and had spent Sam's spring break in New York, visiting with their friends there and retracing the steps of the Brooklyn-era of their relationship. In the hustle of packing and preparing for the trip, coupled with the insanity of the final construction touches on their new home, Mercedes had forgotten to fill her birth control prescription before they left and had run out of pills two days into the trip. She'd decided to tell Sam that they had two options – she could contact her doctor and get her to call in an emergency refill to the Duane Reed around the corner from their hotel – or, they could take it as a sign that it was time to start trying for a baby. They'd chosen option two. And now, here they were, just two months after that trip, with a positive pregnancy test on the counter and two slightly stunned, but excited parents-to-be sitting on the edge of the tub.</p><p>Mercedes leaned her head against his shoulder as she sat beside him. "I don't want to tell my mother," she admitted.</p><p>Sam gave her a confused look as he asked, "Why not?"</p><p>Mercedes smiled sheepishly. "Because then she'll know for sure that I've been having sex with you."</p><p>Sam couldn't help it, he laughed again. "Baby, we've been married for going on two years. You think she doesn't already know that you are hitting <em>this</em> –" here he gestured at himself the way a Price is Right model shows of a car "- <em>every</em> chance you get?"</p><p>"Shut up," she said good-naturedly, nudging him with her shoulder. "You make me sound like some kind of addict."</p><p>Sam shrugged. 'It's not like it's not a mutual problem," he said, nudging her back with his own shoulder before wrapping his arms around her and pulling her in close to his side.</p><p>"For real," she agreed, leaning over to give him a kiss.</p><p>He returned the kiss before standing up and holding out his hands to her to help her to her feet. "C'mon, let's call them."</p><p>Over in New York, Kurt and Blaine were enjoying a quiet Saturday afternoon at home when the text message alert sound came from Blaine's phone. He pulled it out of his pocket and frowned in confusion as he looked at the screen, the messages coming in too quickly for him to respond.</p><p>SE: Dude. Brace yourself.</p><p>SE: Mercedes is about to FaceTime Kurt.</p><p>SE: I can't tell you why yet.</p><p>SE: But get ready.</p><p>SE: It's happening.</p><p>Kurt looked up from his magazine as Blaine's phone dinged for the fourth time and then fifth. "What in the world is going on over there?"</p><p>Thankfully, Kurt's phone began to ring before Blaine had to try to come up with an answer, not that he had any real information to try to respond with anyway.</p><p>"Mercedes! Hi! Look, Blaine, it's Mercedes," Kurt said, turning the phone towards Blaine, who waved and said hello before Kurt turned the phone back to himself.</p><p>"To what do we owe this honor? I thought you guys were using every available second to finish moving and work on decorating."</p><p>"Well," Mercedes said as she turned the phone a little bit so that Sam was now visible next to her. "We found out something today and wanted to share it with you."</p><p>"Oh?" Kurt said, shifting on the couch so that Blaine could also see the phone screen.</p><p>Mercedes glanced at Sam, the grin on his face bigger than any of them had ever seen it. "Something you've been waiting to hear about since, oh, our ten-year reunion weekend? Which was the same week we got married?"</p><p>Kurt gasped as Mercedes laughed, knowing that he had guessed. "Are you – did he – finally?"</p><p>Mercedes nodded. "Yeah. I'm pregnant." Saying the words out loud made it suddenly feel infinitely more real.</p><p>"Finally, my ass," Sam said with mock indignance. "I'll have you know we only stopped using birth control two months ago, which means it probably happened like almost immediately."</p><p>Kurt rolled his eyes. "Sorry, my apologies."</p><p>"Anyway," Blaine interjected, "Congratulations, you guys! This is amazing! Virtual high five, Sam!" He held his palm out to the phone and Sam laughed and reciprocated in kind, leading to more eye rolls from Kurt and Mercedes.</p><p>"It is SO exciting and I'm so happy for you guys! If it's a girl, we'll send you just about anything of Tracy's that you might want to borrow and I'll fly you into New York for a super high-end baby shower, just like Duchess Meghan did when she was pregnant with Archie and I will find you the best of maternity wear – no frumpy, shapeless frocks for you – "</p><p>Mercedes laughed as Kurt rambled on and Sam kissed her cheek before wandering out of the room as his own phone started ringing.</p><p>"Hey, Blaine," he said, grinning as his best friend's face appeared on the screen.</p><p>"Hey," Blaine replied. "I slipped away from the baby shower and maternity wear talk – not that I don't agree with Kurt that Mercedes needs to be the most fabulously dressed pregnant lady we've seen in a while – but I thought someone else might be excited about the news."</p><p>He angled the phone down so that Sam could see Tracy – nearly four years old now – sitting in his lap.</p><p>"Hi Uncle Sam!"</p><p>"Hi, kiddo! How are you?"</p><p>She nodded, smiling. "Good. Daddy says you and Aunt Cedes are having a baby?"</p><p>"We sure are," Sam said, smiling back at her. "It's pretty exciting, huh?"</p><p>She nodded and they chatted for a few more minutes before ending the call and it wasn't long before Mercedes came out into the living room looking for him. She sat down beside him on the couch, snuggling into his side as usual and he smiled. He had a wife he adored, the feeling was mutual, and they had a baby coming. Life couldn't get much sweeter, could it?</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>And we're jumping way back into the future now. Enjoy! Please let me know if you do!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Fall 2042</em>
</p><p>"Ooh, brownies!" Sam said happily as he entered the kitchen, snatching one out of the container that seventeen-year-old Gabby was packing.</p><p>"Dad, no!" she wailed. "Those are for glee club tomorrow!"</p><p>Sam shrugged. "So," he said around the mouthful of brownie he was chewing on, "I won't eat any at the club meeting."</p><p>"Ugh," Gabby replied, rolling her eyes at this response. "Whatever."</p><p>"There you are," Mercedes said as she came in the kitchen and pointed at Sam. "I told you she wasn't old enough for that movie."</p><p>Sam swallowed his brownie and looked at his wife in confusion. "Who? Which movie?"</p><p>"Allie. Forty-five minutes it just took to convince her that it was safe to go to bed and that no slimy green ghosts were coming to get her," Mercedes said, sounding exasperated.</p><p>"What, Ghostbusters? Really? Slimer is who she's afraid of from that movie?"</p><p>Mercedes shrugged. "She's six, Sam. We've had six six-year-olds in this house and I still don't understand how their minds work."</p><p>Sam frowned. "Okay, but Livvie's the same age and she's fine?"</p><p>"My point exactly, Sam," Mercedes said.</p><p>"That kid is fearless," Gabby said, butting into the conversation. "You're gonna have to watch out for that one."</p><p>"Thank you for the parenting advice, teenage high-school student," Sam said dryly and Mercedes swatted his arm.</p><p>"Hey, you were practically raising your brother and sister at her age. I assume you knew what you were talking about back then? She's got more little siblings than you did."</p><p>"Don't remind me," Gabby muttered, mostly to herself.</p><p>Sam reached out for Mercedes's hand, pulling her over to where he stood. "I'm sorry. I thought they'd be all right, I guess I should've listened to you."</p><p>"Yeah, you should've," Mercedes grumbled at him, even as she was clearly fighting the urge to grin at him. In nearly twenty years of marriage, they'd almost never really fought with each other – neither of them could stand to see the other upset and the one thing they'd learned even long before they were married was how to talk through the issues they might have with each other. Even when they did get angry about something, it never seemed to last awfully long.</p><p>"I'm sorry," Sam said again, putting his arms around her. "I'll make it up to you?" he said, his eyes meeting hers, looking remorsefully at her until finally she caved and laughed softly.</p><p>"Yeah, you better," she replied as he grinned and dipped his head to kiss her.</p><p>"Mmm," Mercedes said as they broke apart. "You taste like stolen brownie."</p><p>Sam grinned but before he could respond, Gabby turned around from the kitchen counter where she'd finished putting the brownies into Tupperware and walked in between them to get to the sink and put the baking pan in it.</p><p>"You guys are disgusting," she declared. "I can ignore the kissing, but do you have to discuss it?"</p><p>Mercedes laughed. "Sorry, Gab," she said, pulling her daughter into a hug. "You're right. Thank you for getting the kitchen cleaned up." She grinned at her. "Here, let's gross your father out – I hope one day you have someone that you just can't help but French kiss in the kitchen, even if your kids are there to witness it."</p><p>"Mom!" Gabby cried, making a face, but also unable to not laugh just the tiniest bit as Sam had put his hands over his ears and was shaking his head at them. "I mean, yeah, Dad is horrified, but you're still talking about kissing him! With tongue!" she added in a disgusted wail.</p><p>Mercedes laughed. "Whoops," she said cheerfully. "I'm gonna go read Zoe's essay now, since I'm apparently screwing this up." She headed out of the kitchen, Sam calling after her, "Hate to see you go, but I do love to watch you leave!"</p><p>She shook her head and called back, "You're lucky you're cute!" but also couldn't resist shaking her butt at him just a little bit.</p><p>Sam grinned and Gabby sighed. "Hopeless. You two are hopeless."</p><p>"Consider yourself lucky," Sam said as he got a glass out of the cabinet and then went to the fridge and pulled out the jug of milk. "I was trying to come up with a joke about screwing, but I thought that might be a step too far."</p><p>"DADDY!"</p><p>Sam shrugged. "What? You're seventeen, you're a senior in high school. I teach at your high school. I graduated from your high school, I know you've heard worse in the hallways. And I know you know how you kids got here."</p><p>"That doesn't mean I want to talk about it," Gabby said, furiously scrubbing at the brownie pan.</p><p>"Fair enough," her father replied, leaning against the counter as he drank his glass of milk. "I suppose it's true no one ever likes to think about their parents' love life. I remember –"</p><p>Gabby spun around from the sink so fast she accidentally flung soap suds at him. "No. NO. You are not about to tell me some awful story about Nanny and Pop. That is worse than you and mom."</p><p>Sam grinned. She looked and sounded so much like her mother, it was really adorable.</p><p>"I mean it, Daddy. You are scarring me for life."</p><p>"Okay, okay, I'm sorry," he said, realizing it was time to stop teasing. "But, let me just say this: isn't it better knowing for sure that your mom and I really love each other instead of having parents who fight all the time and are miserable together? Or who aren't even together at all anymore?"</p><p>Gabby had turned back to the sink and she nodded. "Yeah, I know. But do you guys have to be so extra?"</p><p>Sam snorted. "Us, extra? Excuse me, have you met your uncles Blaine and Kurt?"</p><p>Gabby laughed. "In some ways, okay, fine, they're worse than you two." She sighed as she finished washing the pan and laid it to dry on a towel spread on the counter. "It's just – you and mom set a pretty high bar, relationship-wise. And you set an even higher one, husband-wise. How am I ever going to find a guy that even comes close to measuring up?"</p><p>"Well, first of all, let's be real. No guy – or girl – that any of you bring home is ever going to be good enough for my babies."</p><p>Gabby rolled her eyes. "Okay, Dad," she said sarcastically.</p><p>Sam shrugged. "Facts. Sorry, kiddo. Second – you're seventeen. You've got plenty of time to meet the right guy."</p><p>"Mom was sixteen when she met you," Gabby pointed out.</p><p>"Yeah, and she didn't marry me until she was twenty-eight. And in the twelve years between meeting me and finally marrying me, we were together a grand total of maybe a year and a half. So it's kind of irrelevant."</p><p>"She says you were always together, even when you weren't."</p><p>Sam laughed. "I'm the one who says that, actually. I did not realize she had finally come around to seeing it my way."</p><p>"Oh, God. Don't tell her I told on her," Gabby said with a sigh.</p><p>Sam grinned. "Of course not. I have to protect my first-born."</p><p>Gabby laughed, rolling her eyes, and Sam held out his arms to her.</p><p>"C'mere, Gab," he said, pulling her into a hug, marveling at how tall she was. She'd long ago passed her mother in height and was almost as tall as her father now. Where did my little baby go, Sam wondered to himself. "You've got plenty of time. It's your senior year, enjoy it."</p><p>Gabby nodded. "I know."</p><p>"One other thing."</p><p>"Yes, Dad?"</p><p>"Give me another brownie and I promise I won't kiss your mom in front of you for like, at least a week."</p><p>Gabby laughed. "Yeah, you'll make it, like, maybe to breakfast tomorrow. But whatever, have a brownie," she said, holding out the Tupperware container to him.</p><p>"You're the best, sweetheart!" he said as he took a brownie and wandered out of the kitchen.</p><p>Gabby made a mental note to Google whether insanity was heredity. Because she was fairly sure she was doomed if that was the case.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Just a silly little moment that popped into my head as I dealt with my own mountain of laundry tonight. Enjoy - please let me know what you think!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Fall 2036</em>
</p><p>"I know there's eight people living in this house," Sam says as he turns the washer on again and starts sorting through the older girls' hamper, "but this just really seems like a lot of laundry. Especially when two of those people aren't even a year old yet."</p><p>Mercedes snorts as she turns the dryer on and heaves the most recently filled basket of clothes onto the counter and starts folding.</p><p>"You're forgetting that the two infants go through almost more clothes than the other four combined," she says. "If even one of them could go a whole day without peeing, pooping or puking on themselves, it would be a miracle."</p><p>Sam laughs at that and Mercedes continues, "And nine times out of ten, whatever bodily fluid they've expelled gets on you or me, so that's an extra shirt needing to be washed. And then throw in Caleb and Bri both being at that age where they apparently have some sort of secret social life we don't know about, that requires about fifteen outfit changes a day, so I'm usually just guessing if things are actually dirty or not and yeah. Unfortunately, the amount of laundry makes sense." She pauses, looking thoughtful. "Gabby'll be twelve soon – maybe as a birthday gift to us, she can start learning to do her own laundry."</p><p>She's expecting at least a laugh from Sam at that comment and when he doesn't respond, she looks over at him. "Sam? Are you listening to me?"</p><p>He turns to look at her, holding something white in his hands. "Mercedes, what is this?"</p><p>She looks at the item he's holding up. "It's a bra, Sam." She can't help smirking at him. "I know you've seen one before."</p><p>He makes a face back at her. "This is obviously not yours."</p><p>Mercedes shakes her head. "No. It's Gabby's."</p><p>Sam looks completely caught off-guard. "Since when?"</p><p>"Honey. Have you looked at the child lately? She needs it."</p><p>"She's eleven!"</p><p>"Yeah and for better or worse, she's inherited my body type," Mercedes says, gesturing to herself. "She's lucky, actually, at least she's made it to middle school. I had to get my first bra in fourth grade."</p><p>Sam gives her an incredulous look. "And I was still your first boyfriend? Seven years later? The fuck was wrong with these Lima boys? Were they blind?"</p><p>Mercedes rolls her eyes, even as she can't help smiling at the awkwardly-worded compliment. "Must've been," was all she said as she goes back to folding onesies. After a minute or two, she realizes Sam hasn't gone back to sorting the hamper.</p><p>"Babe?" she says gently. "You gonna finish going through that basket or are you going to stand there holding your daughter's bra all night?"</p><p>Her words startle him out of whatever thoughts he's in and he shakes his head, going back to sorting. "Sorry – it's just – I can't believe she's old enough for this. Our baby, 'Cedes – she was so tiny and – " he shakes his head. "I dunno. Sorry. Just having a sad dad moment."</p><p>Mercedes smiles at him, knowing exactly what he means. "We knew going in they would grow up. It's kind of the whole point of parenting, right?"</p><p>"Yeah. It just kinda smacks you in the face time sometimes, doesn't it?"</p><p>"Please. You didn't have to take her to the store for this. Talk about a smack in the face." She sighs. "And next it'll be periods and pads and tampons."</p><p>Sam looks horrified at this and she laughs. "Again, you are aware of the existence of these things."</p><p>"Yeah, for you! Not for our little baby girls!"</p><p>She just shakes her head and they continue working through the Mount Evans laundry pile.</p><p>"Speaking of bras," Sam says a little while later after she's emptied the dryer again and he's putting the last load into the dryer and she laughs.</p><p>"I thought the bra conversation was over a while ago."</p><p>"Nah, I was just thinking I haven't seen <em>your </em>bra in a while," he replies, and she gives him a look, knowing what he's getting at but playing a little dumb anyway.</p><p>"Um, you see it like every day."</p><p>"Yeah, when you're getting dressed in the morning or feeding the babies," he counters and she frowns.</p><p>"It hasn't been that long, has it?" She tries to think back, tries to remember the last time they've both a) gone to bed at the same time and b) haven't fallen into bed completely exhausted. "Two? Maybe three weeks?"</p><p>"Twenty-seven days," Sam says and she can't help but laugh.</p><p>"But who's counting?" she shoots back at him even as she realizing, shit, that's longer than she thought.</p><p>"Me, obviously." The grin on his face, the love in his eyes lets her know that he's not upset, not placing blame – at the start of a new school year, with six kids under the age of eleven, two of them not even a year old - he's as exhausted as she is. He pushes himself up to sit on the counter next to the laundry basket and helps her match up socks as they talk.</p><p>"I'm sorry," she sighs. "I got really used to having you here to help all the time during the summer. But since school started and you're back at work and Gab moving up to middle school, so she and Zoe are at different schools now and juggling the other four and – I'm too tired to even think about it."</p><p>"Hey, it's okay," he starts to say and she interrupts him.</p><p>"Actually, that's a lie. I think about it – I'm just too tired to act on any of my thoughts."</p><p>Sam laughs. "Yeah, you fell asleep as I was kissing you good-night the other night."</p><p>Mercedes covers her face with her hands. "Oh, God. I'm so sorry."</p><p>He shrugs. "It's okay. I think I fell asleep too almost before I had time to be disappointed."</p><p>She pairs the last set of socks and turns to look at him. "We're a pretty pitiful pair, aren't we? Remember when we first got married and we'd do it, like, every day?"</p><p>"And twice on Sundays," he quips and she laughs as he reaches for her hands and tugs her closer to him, to stand in between his legs.</p><p>"What happened to us?"</p><p>"Six kids," Sam replies in a 'duh' tone of voice and she laughs again.</p><p>"Which we have because of all the regular sex. I <em>think</em> that is the definition of irony," Mercedes says.</p><p>"That sounds right to me," Sam agrees.</p><p>"I feel pretty awake right now, actually," she says, smiling up at him, running her hands up his thighs before wrapping her arms around his waist and stretching up to give him a kiss.</p><p>"Me too," he grins back at her.</p><p>"So – you wanna see my bra?" she asks and he laughs.</p><p>"Only if I'm getting to take it <em>and</em> the rest of your clothes off," he shoots back.</p><p>"God, I hope so," she answers and Sam laughs again as she gives him another kiss before she steps back, pulling on his hands so that he hops down from the counter and follows her to their bedroom.</p><p>"You should have told me before," he says quietly.</p><p>"Told you what before?"</p><p>"That doing laundry could be so rewarding."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I'm not entirely sure where this came from, except that I was able to go on a camping trip recently and just really wanted to capture that vibe for 'my' Samcedes family. I hope you enjoy it - please let me know!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Fall 2039</em>
</p><p>For the life of her, Gabby could not figure out how her dad talked her mom into this family camping trip. Her mom was not really an outdoorsy person. Her mom was an actual pop star – they literally spent their summers on a tour bus, not at a lake or at the beach and certainly not in a tent in the freaking woods like they were this weekend. Or at least, the summers her mom wasn't either super pregnant or nursing an infant. Ugh. Gabby made a face. It was like she'd heard Uncle Kurt say to Mom when they were in New York this past summer – "I've said it before, Mercedes. That man is your kryptonite. You are powerless to resist him," he'd said. And Mom had just giggled like a teenager and said, "I know. It's his eyes. When he looks at me the way he does, I just…" her voice had trailed off and if she'd said anything else, Gabby hadn't heard it but she probably wouldn't have wanted to anyway.</p><p>To be fair, her mom didn't look particularly pleased with her dad at this moment as they stood on opposite sides of a giant pile of fabric that was allegedly the tent they were all going to sleep in that night.</p><p>"Mercedes, you have to –"</p><p>"Sam."</p><p>Uh oh, Gabby thought. Her dad sounded frustrated but her mom's voice had that tone in it that none of them ever wanted to hear.</p><p>Clearly, Sam heard it too because he stopped talking pretty quick.</p><p>"I have never put up a tent before in my life," Mercedes said calmly but firmly. "You are going to have to give me better instructions if you want me to be able to help you with it."</p><p>It probably didn't help that her three youngest siblings – five-year-old Caleb and the three-year-old twins Allison and Olivia were running around like absolute bats out of hell. Eleven-year-old Zoe and seven-year-old Brianna were both sitting at the picnic table, Zoe reading a book, Bri playing a game on her tablet but in the few moments that Sam and Mercedes had been distracted by the tent, Caleb and the twins had wandered out of their campsite and were halfway down the hill exploring the woods, headed towards the lake.</p><p>"You're losing half your children," Gabby pointed out helpfully to her parents.</p><p>"Oh, Jesus," Mercedes muttered before calling out, "Allie! Livvie! Caleb! Get back here!" She turned to Gabby. "Can you please either go after them or else help your father with the tent?"</p><p>"I'll take the tent," Gabby said grudgingly, moving over to where her mother had been standing as Mercedes marched off down the hill, grabbing up children as she came to them. "Guys," they could hear her say as she got to Caleb, Allison on one hip and holding Olivia's hand on her other side, "You can't leave our campsite. If you want to come look at the water, we can do that, but you have to ask me or Daddy or Gabby or Zoe to come with you, okay?"</p><p>Gabby gave her father a reproachful look. "I still don't understand why you couldn't have stopped having kids after me."</p><p>Sam ran a hand through his hair and shook his head at his eldest child, grimacing. "Do you really want me to get into the intricacies of marital relations and planned and unplanned pregnancies?"</p><p>"No," she muttered.</p><p>"Alright, then. Take this pole and feed it into that fabric sleeve, there," he said, pointing to the edge of the tent. "Good." Then he grinned. "The twins might say we had to keep having children until we got ones we liked," he teased and Gabby made a face at him.</p><p>"Thanks a lot."</p><p>"Okay, so I'll tell you what Nanny and Pop told me when I made the same complaint about your aunt and uncle – 'you're just such an awesome kid, Sam! We had to have more just like you!'" He looked over at her, still grinning. "Looks like you believe that about as much as I did."</p><p>"Pretty much," she agreed. "Nice try though, Dad."</p><p>Sam laughed. "I do the best I can. C'mon, let's get the other side."</p><p>Following his instructions, they managed to get the tent set up and ready before Mercedes came back up the hill with the younger kids, having kept them occupied at the water's edge for a little bit.</p><p>"Check it, 'Cedes," Sam said cheerfully, gesturing at the tent. "Looks a lot better, right?"</p><p>Gabby thought her mom still looked pretty skeptical, but she did nod and agree. Sam took a step closer to Mercedes, kissing her cheek as he said, "I'm sorry I snapped at you."</p><p>Gabby could see her mom's face soften as she looked at her dad and quietly replied, "I'm sorry too."</p><p>Gabby let out a breath she didn't even fully realize she'd been holding. As much as she loved to whine and complain about her parents' lovey-dovey schtick, she disliked it even more when they were upset with each other.</p><p>"And you, my little monsters," Sam said, as he took Allison from Mercedes' arms and looked at the rest of the kids, "You heard what your mama said, right? You can't leave the campsite without one of us or one of your biggest sisters, okay?" Little heads nodded as he set Allison down and pointed at the fire ring. "One other big rule – see that circle? It's hot, so you can't get too close to it, okay? We don't want to have to figure out where the nearest burn unit is."</p><p>Mercedes looked worried but rallied to say, "Okay, let's get the car unloaded!"</p><p>With all of them helping (or in the case of the littlest three, attempting to help), the Tahoe was quickly emptied. Bedding and duffel bags were tossed in the tent while the coolers were situated by the picnic table. Sandwiches had been pre-made and packed for lunch, so once the unloading was complete, the family sat down to eat.</p><p>When lunch was finished and clean-up in process, Sam clapped his hands and said, "Okay, who's ready for our hike?"</p><p>Mercedes smiled in spite of herself. His enthusiasm for all this was kind of infectious. "No one yet, honey. Everyone needs to go to the bathroom before we try to go anywhere."</p><p>The twins were mostly potty-trained at this point, but it was still a work-in-progress and she'd already decided that they were going to wear pull-ups to bed that night because while she loved her husband and their kids, she was not planning to deal with a pee-soaked sleeping bag this weekend. (That wasn't even really a weekend, it was like about a thirty-hour event, but whatever.)</p><p>"Right," Sam said. "Are you okay taking them all while I get a backpack together with water and snacks and stuff?"</p><p>She nodded. "Yup, that's fine."</p><p>When Sam had booked the campsite, he'd deliberately chosen one right across the gravel road from the bathhouse, so she gathered up the kids, made everyone hold hands and check for any cars before crossing the road. Thankfully, instead of being a building with separate Men's and Women's rooms, it was instead individual unisex bathrooms – each one with a sink, toilet and shower.</p><p>"Gabby or Zoe – can one of you please take Bri in with you while I get the little three? And then wait right outside my door if we're not done before you are?"</p><p>Gabby nodded, taking Brianna's hand, while Zoe went on into a bathroom by herself. Mercedes took the three youngest and got them all cycled through on the toilet, before quickly taking a moment to go herself and wondering, not for the first time, when she might ever get to reliably pee without an audience again.</p><p>Sam had his backpack ready to go when they got back to the campsite and he'd dug through one of the bags she'd packed to find the bandannas and hats she'd brought.</p><p>"Everybody puts something on their head," Mercedes instructed, as she stuck little bucket hats on the twins' heads and Caleb immediately grabbed his ball cap, of course wanting to be just like daddy.</p><p>"Why?" Zoe asked before adding a complaint. "'Cause I don't like hats."</p><p>"How do you feel about bugs in your hair?" Mercedes asked her as she tied a bandanna over her own hair.</p><p>Zoe stared at her mother in horror as Mercedes took the bandanna Brianna was holding out to her and got that tied on her daughter's head.</p><p>"That's gross," Zoe finally managed to say and Mercedes shrugged.</p><p>"It's also a legitimate possibility if you don't cover your head with something," she said, looking to Sam for confirmation. "Right, Sam?" She found that Sam was both looking right at her but also not paying attention to her words at all. "Sam?"</p><p>"Wha?"he blinked, coming out of wherever in his head he had been and she shook her head at him.</p><p>"Earth to Sam – bugs, in their hair, if they don't wear a hat. Right?"</p><p>"Oh! Yeah, for sure. Everybody needs a hat or bandanna."</p><p>Zoe grumbled, but eventually tied a bandanna over her head as well while Gabby put on the baseball cap she'd brought, carefully feeding her ponytailed curls through the opening on the back of the hat. Meanwhile, Mercedes gave Sam a strange look.</p><p>"You okay? You're not, like, getting heatstroke or something, are you?"</p><p>He grinned sheepishly at her. "No, I just –" he gestured towards her head "- the bandanna. It made me think of when you girls joined the football team and how hot that was and – I got distracted," he admitted.</p><p>Mercedes rolled her eyes. "Yeah, okay. That was like, almost thirty years ago."</p><p>He grinned again. "And you're even hotter now."</p><p>"Lord," Mercedes muttered, looking skyward. "All the men in this world and I get stuck with this one."</p><p>"Hey!" he yelped, insulted, and she laughed.</p><p>"But don't you like being stuck with Daddy?" a little voice asked and Mercedes turned to see Brianna studying them both curiously.</p><p>Mercedes laughed, pulling her daughter into her arms. "Most of the time. Daddy and I are just being silly." She looked around at their crew, double-checking that each of them had something covering their hair and said, "All right, let's get this show on the road."</p><p>"On the trail, you mean," Sam corrected.</p><p>"Whatever."</p><p>They set out for the trailhead, located a few spots down from their campsite. The whole thing would be just under a mile there and back, but it was uphill on the first half, to a point where there was supposed to be a good view of the whole lake, and they were barely halfway to the summit before Sam had Olivia on his shoulders, Gabby was very kindly giving Allison a piggyback ride and Mercedes had Caleb on her hip. She couldn't help but laugh a little from her vantage point at the back of their group.</p><p>Sam called her out on it when they finally reached the viewing area and were sitting on the big rocks to rest before making the return trip.</p><p>"I heard you giggling earlier. What was funny?"</p><p>"What? Oh, I was just thinking how jealous Kurt would be. Kids in bandannas, hiking up a mountain – we were living out his favorite movie. 'Climb ev'ry mountain…'" she sang, giggling again as she did and Sam laughed.</p><p>"Got it. Weren't there seven Von Trapp kids though? We're short one, what do we do about that?" He wiggled his eyebrows at her and Mercedes gave him a look.</p><p>"We borrow one from our friends, because this uterus is closed. And you're shooting blanks now anyway."</p><p>Sam grinned. "Just messing with you." He pulled granola bars out of the backpack and started handing them out to the kids while Mercedes reminded them to make sure they came and drank some water.</p><p>"This really is beautiful," Mercedes said quietly as she gazed out at the view.</p><p>"See?" Sam said. "I told you this would be fun."</p><p>Mercedes rolled her eyes. "It's not so bad so far. I'm still not sure about the whole sleeping in a tent thing though."</p><p>"Nothing to worry about, I'm here to protect you."</p><p>She laughed. "From the squirrels and raccoons, sure. I'm more concerned about what this is going to do to my back."</p><p>"That's why we have the sleeping pads for us. The kids are the ones going right on the ground."</p><p>"Shh, don't let them hear you say that."</p><p>As the kids finished their snacks, the view then held their attention for, oh, about two to three minutes before at least two of them started whining.</p><p>Sam glanced at his watch and stood up. "We probably should head back. We need to get the fire started so we can get dinner cooking."</p><p>Mercedes got up too, double-checking that no one had left a granola bar wrapper on the ground, and they began heading back to their campsite. Caleb had apparently found his energy (he had told Mercedes he lost it before she ended up carrying him) and he ran along the trail ahead of all of them, Sam continually calling to him to slow down and stay where he could see him. Sam had Allison on his shoulders this time, Gabby, Bri and Zoe trudging along between their parents and Mercedes dealing with Olivia at the end of the line – she didn't want to be carried, but she wasn't real keen on walking either, which meant that Mercedes was mostly dragging her down the trail and saying a fervent, silent prayer that no other hikers would come along and accuse her of child abuse.</p><p>"Livvie, sweetie, come on. You've got to pick up your feet."</p><p>"Don't wanna walk."</p><p>"I know," Mercedes said. "Will you please let me carry you?"</p><p>Olivia shook her head, sitting down on the ground and crossing her arms over her little chest. "No."</p><p>Mercedes sighed. "Sam!" she called and he turned around. She pointed at the child on the ground and said, "We'll catch up, okay?"</p><p>She could see him raise an eyebrow, as if to ask if she needed help and she shook her head, waving him away. He gave her a thumbs up and kept walking.</p><p>"Gabby, help Dad if he needs it, please," Mercedes said to her oldest, who had paused to watch things play out, and Gabby nodded before continuing to walk down the trail.</p><p>Mercedes sat down on the ground next to Olivia. "Okay, kiddo, I guess we're hanging out here for a while, huh?"</p><p>Olivia studied her mother, not sure what to make of this development. "Why?"</p><p>Mercedes shrugged. "You tell me."</p><p>Olivia shrugged back at her.</p><p>Mercedes sighed. It really kind of figured that her absolute youngest child (Olivia having been born a few minutes after Allison) was going to be the one who tested her the most.</p><p>"Personally," she said, "I'd rather be back at our campsite. It's gonna be dark soon, but Daddy's going to build us a fire and we'll have dinner and roast marshmallows and then we have our nice cozy tent for all of us to sleep in together. Doesn't that sound better than sitting here in the dirt?"</p><p>Olivia shrugged again.</p><p>Mercedes sighed again. She wasn't entirely sure why she was trying to reason with a three-year-old, but she knew she didn't want a full-blow, all-out tantrum going on so she was trying to tread carefully.</p><p>"You don't like hiking?"</p><p>Olivia shook her head.</p><p>"Make sure you tell your father that," Mercedes muttered under her breath before saying, "Okay, so you know what? Once we get back to the campsite, we're done hiking. You won't have to do it again for a long time, I promise."</p><p>Olivia studied her mother for a minute, as if gauging the truth of her words. Then, as suddenly and inexplicably as she had sat down, she stood up and started marching off down the trail.</p><p>"Well, okay then," Mercedes said, getting to her feet and following the little one down the trail. "What in the hell was that all about?"</p><p>She caught up to Olivia by the time they reached the end of the trail and was relieved when Olivia took her hand without protest to walk past the other campsites to their own.</p><p>She was also pleased to see that the fire was going and while Zoe was keeping Caleb and Allison occupied, Gabby and Brianna had started pulling out the food supplies for dinner.</p><p>"Daddy!" Olivia exclaimed, running to Sam, who scooped her up into his arms.</p><p>"Hi, kiddo," he said, kissing her nose as she laughed.</p><p>"Don't like hiking, Daddy," she complained. Over her head, Sam looked at Mercedes, who nodded in agreement.</p><p>"It appears she does not care for hiking."</p><p>"Got it," Sam replied, before addressing Olivia. "Okay, no more hiking this trip. Promise."</p><p>She nodded her little head in satisfaction, twisting around in her father's arms to look at her mother. "No more hiking, Mommy."</p><p>"I told you there wouldn't be," Mercedes said.</p><p>Sam set her down and told her to go play with Caleb and Allison before turning to Mercedes. "Stubborn little thing, isn't she?" he said in a voice low enough for none of the kids to hear.</p><p>"Just like her daddy."</p><p>Sam grinned. "Or her mother," he countered.</p><p>Mercedes smiled at that. "She really is worse than both of us combined."</p><p>Sam laughed, gave her a kiss and turned towards the Rubbermaid totes of camping supplies. "I couldn't find the roasting sticks. Where did you put them?"</p><p>Eventually, the sticks were located and everyone got their hot dog cooked. Once that was done, it was on to marshmallows on the roasting sticks, Mercedes terrified the entire time that somebody was going to trip and fall into the fire. But they made it through unscathed.</p><p>By this point, it was well past dusk and Mercedes and Sam both could tell that the little ones were fading fast.</p><p>"Gabby?" Sam said as Mercedes gathered up pajamas for the younger three. "Can you get the sleeping bags spread out while your mom and I get the little ones ready for bed? Zoe, Bri, can you help her, please?"</p><p>The older girls nodded, mostly agreeably, as Mercedes and Sam each picked up a twin and Sam held Caleb's hand to head over to the bathhouse to get everyone changed into pajamas, including herself and Sam. Then the three older ones went on their own, while Mercedes watched from the edge of the campsite, while Sam switched the music on the Bluetooth speaker to a mellow playlist.</p><p>"So, do we have to go to bed now or -?" Zoe asked when the big girls came back and Mercedes shook her head.</p><p>"No, it's still pretty early. You can sit in your chairs around the fire for a while."</p><p>"Or you can dance," Sam said, grabbing Mercedes' hand and pulling her against him, singing along with Barry White, "'My darling, I – can't get enough of your love, baby –'"</p><p>Mercedes laughed, letting him spin her out into a twirl before bringing her back against his chest again, their lips meeting in a brief kiss. It was funny, she thought, how your ideas of love and romance changed as you grew up. She'd never really thought about romance being dancing in the woods in flip-flops and pajamas, surrounded by your children (who were probably rolling their eyes at them), but the reality of it was pretty sweet.</p><p>"I wanna dance, Daddy," Brianna piped up and Sam looked at Mercedes. "Whatcha think, babe? Can she cut in?"</p><p>Mercedes pretended to consider it before smiling and saying "I guess she can" and stepping back as the music changed to the familiar opening notes of 'My Girl.'</p><p>"Oh, perfect song!" Sam said, picking Bri up onto his hip before spinning them around in circle.</p><p>Caleb tugged on Mercedes' jammie pant leg. "I'll dance with you, Mommy," he said and Mercedes picked him up.</p><p>"Thank you, my sweet boy. We'll have to change the words to 'My Guy' for you, won't we?"</p><p>Caleb nodded, grinning, and threw his arms around his mother's neck. Shifting him onto her hip, Mercedes held her hand out to the other girls.</p><p>"Come on. Let's all dance."</p><p>It took a little coaxing from both parents, but eventually the twins were dancing with each other, Gabby was holding Sam's free hand as well as Bri's hand and Zoe was doing the same with Mercedes and Caleb. At one point, Sam caught Mercedes' eye as they moved around each other and he smiled at her and Mercedes felt like her heart could burst. Their life was insane – but she couldn't imagine ever being happier.</p><p>Eventually, they all drifted into their chairs around the fire, Mercedes and Sam each with a twin in their laps, softly singing along with the music.</p><p>"She's out," Mercedes said softly after a while, looking down at Olivia in her lap, and Sam nodded.</p><p>"Allie too," he said. He looked at the chair on his other side. "And Caleb."</p><p>She inclined her head across the fire ring. "Bri's fighting it. Give her about five minutes."</p><p>Sam laughed softly as he stood up, careful not to wake the sleeping child in his arms, and Mercedes followed suit. They got those two laid down in the tent and then went back for Caleb and Brianna.</p><p>"I'm not tired, Mama," Zoe said as Mercedes picked Bri up from the chair next to her. (As predicted, Brianna was now sound asleep too.)</p><p>"Me either," Gabby added.</p><p>Mercedes was pretty sure she heard a yawn in those protests but all she said was, "Okay. You don't have to go to bed yet. Daddy and I will sit up for a little while still."</p><p>Zoe nodded even as Gabby clearly stifled another yawn and Mercedes smiled to herself as she carried Bri to her place in the tent.</p><p>"The other two claim they're not tired," she whispered to Sam, who responded with a knowing grin.</p><p>"Sure they're not."</p><p>Mercedes shrugged. "I'm not gonna argue. One late night won't hurt them."</p><p>Sam nodded as they stepped back out of the tent and settled back into their chairs. Mercedes had pulled her chair up close enough to Sam's that she could rest her head on his shoulder.</p><p>"You two might not be tired, but I sure am," she said to her daughters, neither of whom responded with more than shrugs.</p><p>Sam laughed and reached for her hand, lacing their fingers together. "Thanks for indulging me on this overnight," he said quietly. "I know it's not exactly your thing."</p><p>Mercedes shrugged. "Let's face it, honey, nothing is exactly my thing right now when it involves getting six children to cooperate with us and each other. So, you know, life," she said with a chuckle.</p><p>"They've really done pretty good overall," Sam said thoughtfully and Mercedes had to agree.</p><p>"And this?" Mercedes said, gesturing to indicate the fire. "Sitting here with you? This is really nice."</p><p>Sam nodded. "Yeah," he said, leaning towards her, the hand not holding hers coming up to cradle the side of her face as he kissed her.</p><p>"Ew," came from the other side of the fire and Mercedes laughed as she and Sam broke apart.</p><p>"I only heard one voice of dissent, so Zoe must be asleep now too?" she asked.</p><p>"Yeah," Gabby said, yawning again.</p><p>Mercedes looked at Sam. "Maybe we should all go ahead and go to bed."</p><p>She could just barely see his pouting face in the firelight. "You're not gonna stay out here and make out with me?" he asked. He spoke quietly enough that Gabby couldn't hear him but she could still hear the teasing tone in his voice.</p><p>She laughed softly. "No point in starting anything we can't finish out here," she whispered back.</p><p>"We have the car," he pointed out, not really seriously, and she gave him a light smack on the arm.</p><p>"No, Sam," she said, giving him one more quick kiss before she stood up and he followed suit, picking up the water bucket and starting to put out the fire.</p><p>"C'mon, Zo-zo," Mercedes said, nudging the girl awake just enough for her to shuffle to the tent, Gabby following behind them. Both girls and Mercedes had gotten themselves situated in their sleeping bags by the time Sam joined them. While he was getting himself into his sleeping bag, Mercedes reached across two of the younger children to find Gabby's hand.</p><p>"Thank you for all your help today, sweetheart," she said. "I know it's not fair for us to rely on you so much, but I really don't know what we'd do without you."</p><p>"It's okay," Gabby mumbled, but she squeezed Mercedes' hand as she said it and Mercedes smiled in the darkness.</p><p>"You're a good kid, Gab," Sam added. "And for the record, we didn't keep having more to finally get one we liked. We did pretty awesome on our first try." He could somehow tell Mercedes was looking questioningly at him and he added in a whisper, "I'll explain later."</p><p>"Whatever, Daddy," she replied and they could almost hear the eyeroll but they could also hear the smile in her voice.</p><p>"Good night, sweetie," Mercedes said and Sam echoed her.</p><p>"G'night mom, g'night dad."</p><p>In the darkness, Sam's hand found Mercedes' again and they were both soon asleep.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Not a Christmas story (although I hope to have at least one more of those up by Friday), so here's the backstory/inspiration on this one. I heard this song on the radio a few weeks ago and legit nearly cried as I was driving, because I'm sitting there thinking, oh my GOD, this is SUCH a Sam song. It's called 'Lady' by Brett Young and it's just beautiful. I will admit I'm not a huge fan of the vaguely patriarchal theme of a little girl needing to learn how to be a lady, buuuuut - the first part of the chorus - "I hope you look just like your mama - and love her like I do" - well, that just kills me every time I hear it. So this little piece was born from that. I also have to admit that I really, really love this one, so I hope you enjoy it too!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>January 2025</strong>
</p><p>It's Gabby's second night home before Mercedes manages to sleep for more than an hour stretch.</p><p>She's four days old by then – born at 5:27 pm (which Mercedes still feels is weird – it seems like you never hear about babies born in the middle of the day – she herself was a midnight baby and Sam says he was born around 2 am so who knows where this middle-of-the-afternoon kid came from) and they made her stay at the hospital at least twenty-four hours after her birth at which point someone – she's not entirely sure who – decided to keep them another night so they could be discharged first thing in the morning on Gabby's third day of life (and it was nice to get to drive home in the daylight and not the dark cold of a January night) and now she's four days old going on five and Mercedes already feels like time is flying too fast. Except when she thinks about the sleep she's not getting. She is sleeping, a little, in fits and starts – Sam already has at least half a dozen photos on his phone of her and Gabby asleep together – Gabby on her chest as she naps half-sitting up on the couch, Gabby at her breast as she dozes in the rocking glider – but she's pretty sure she hasn't actually laid down since they got home.</p><p>So by the second night, Sam practically pushes her into her side of their bed.</p><p>"I know," he says in response to her protests. "I just wanna look at her too. But you're exhausted, babe. You've got to get at least a little bit of real sleep."</p><p>"So do you," she counters.</p><p>"I know," he agrees, getting in the bed beside her. "I'm going to sleep too and –" he points at the bassinette on the other side of the room "- she's right there and she's asleep and you just fed her and she'll be fine."</p><p>Reluctantly, she nods, letting him take her hand in the darkness, lacing their fingers together, and then she slides closer to him, resting her head on his chest.</p><p>"You can hold me, you know," she says, half-jokingly and he grins into her hair.</p><p>"Wasn't sure you'd ever want me to touch you ever again," he replies and she rolls her eyes.</p><p>"Let's not be a giant cliché, okay?"</p><p>"Okay," he agrees as he wraps his arms around her and they are quiet for a moment, each listening to the other's breathing in the dark, quiet room. He really had just been teasing – through all the long hours of labor, she never had resorted to the reactions always seen in movies and TV shows, no yelling at him or cursing him for getting her pregnant in the first place.</p><p>"Seriously, though, Mercedes – I wouldn't blame you," he says, his voice full of awe as he thinks back on Gabby's birth, on watching this woman who he loves so much work so hard to bring their child into the world. He fell more in love with her than ever this week.</p><p>And then? Being the first one to hold their precious tiny girl? There were no words for that depth of love.</p><p>"You were like – a warrior woman," he adds, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "It was the most amazing thing I've ever seen."</p><p>"I couldn't have done it without you."</p><p>"Well, yeah," he says, the sarcastic 'obviously' clearly implied by his tone. "Does take two to tango, as they say."</p><p>Her laughter vibrates against his chest. "You jackass, I didn't mean her conception. I mean, yes, I needed you for that –"</p><p>"Yeah, ya did," he says suggestively and even in the dark, not looking at him, she knows he's wiggling his eyebrows at her.</p><p>"Would you stop? I am trying to pay you a compliment."</p><p>"Sorry. Please proceed."</p><p>She huffs in exasperation, but when she speaks, the tone is loving. "You kept me focused. And encouraged. And it was exactly what I needed. So thank you."</p><p>He shrugs. "You're welcome. I definitely got the easy end of the deal, so I'm just glad I was helpful in some way."</p><p>"It already feels like this big, hazy blur," Mercedes admits with a yawn. "Like, it's another total cliché, but the second you handed her to me, it was like I forgot everything it took to get her here."</p><p>"It kinda has to be that way, though, doesn't it?" Sam muses. "Or no one would ever have more than one."</p><p>Mercedes nods. "Yeah." She yawns again before smiling and asking curiously, "So you've thought about another one?"</p><p>"I mean – kind of, yeah," he admits. "Not anytime soon," he adds hastily. "When you're ready."</p><p>"Give me a year or two and we'll talk, okay?"</p><p>"Deal," he agrees, kissing the top of her head again. "Now get some sleep."</p><p>They drift off then and more than two hours pass before she jerks awake, feeling totally disoriented and not even totally sure what has awakened her.</p><p>Reaching out to pat the bed beside her, she realizes Sam isn't there. As her eyes adjust to the darkness she hears him before she sees him, singing softly as he walks the length of their room, tiny bundle in his arms.</p><p>"<em>God knows, I don't know, exactly what I'm doin', but - good news, we got her to get through it - I hope you look just like your mama and love her like I do - you'll see close to perfect patience if you watch her every move </em><em>–</em> "</p><p>She's not familiar with the song, but she catches enough of the lyrics that it brings tears to her eyes and when she sniffles, it catches Sam's attention and he switches from singing to talking to the baby.</p><p>"Hey, Gabby-girl, look at that," he says softly. "The moment you've been waiting for, your mama's awake."</p><p>Mercedes sits up as Gabby lets out a small cry and she realizes why she woke up – she must have heard a previous cry in her sleep, because there are twin spots of leaked milk on her t-shirt.</p><p>"Ugh," she says, pulling the shirt off entirely, tossing it on the floor and holding her arms out for the baby. Sam crosses the room and hands her over before crossing back over to his side of the bed and sitting down to watch as she gets Gabby situated and latched on, saying another silent prayer of thanks that nursing has come so easily to them. She knows this is not the case for everyone and she's so grateful.</p><p>"Has she been awake long?"</p><p>Sam shakes his head. "Five, maybe ten minutes? I just wanted you to get to sleep as long as possible. I would have woken you up in another few minutes, before she really got mad that Daddy's chest doesn't work like Mommy's."</p><p>Mercedes laughs at that. "Not sure we would have reached that point anyway since there's apparently a psychic connection between her stomach and my boobs."</p><p>This makes Sam laugh. "Do you want another shirt, incidentally?"</p><p>Mercedes shakes her head. "Not till she's done, if you don't mind me sitting here like this."</p><p>Sam scoffs. "Mind? Your boobs are one of my, like, top five most favorite things in the universe. It is no sacrifice to have you sitting around shirtless."</p><p>Mercedes rolls her eyes at this. "I am feeding our child. Don't make it dirty."</p><p>"I'm not making anything dirty," Sam protests. "I am appreciating the beauty of the female form."</p><p>"Suuuure." Mercedes looks down at herself – she's naked from the waist up. From the waist down, she's got on an ancient pair of pajama pants, hospital-issued post-partum underwear and still-pregnant-looking belly underneath them. She doesn't even want to know what her hair looks like at this point. "I am so far from anything even remotely like the word beauty right now."</p><p>"You are the most beautiful thing I've ever seen," Sam says firmly, his voice almost cracking with the emotion behind his words.</p><p>"Sam…"</p><p>He reaches for her free hand, the one not supporting the baby, and squeezes it tight. "I mean it, 'Cedes. I'm sorry to go back to cliches, but you're like every Earth mother-goddess-queen right now."</p><p>She shakes her head as the tears fill her eyes again. She's too tired and the hurricane of hormones swirling in her body is too much to try and argue with him on this.</p><p>Instead, she looks down at the happily suckling baby and shakes her head again. "Your daddy was saying some nice things about me in that song he was singing before, but you know he's pretty awesome too, right?"</p><p>Gabby continues to eat, not even opening her eyes, and she sighs. "Well, he is. But I'm sure this is only the first of many times that you're going to ignore what I have to say."</p><p>Sam laughs. "That is probably quite true," he says, scooting closer to them on the bed. He goes to put his arm around her shoulders and then pulls back, hesitating. "Is this okay?"</p><p>She glances at him, nods. "Yeah. But hang on a second, let me switch her to the other side." She eases Gabby off her breast, making shushing noises at her as the baby protests until Mercedes gets her turned around and latched on the other breast.</p><p>"And no teenage-boy-yawning-and-stretching moves," she warns Sam as he brings his arm back up around her and she leans into his embrace.</p><p>He looks offended. "C'mon, babe, give me some credit here. I'm not going to grope you."</p><p>She knows he won't but sometimes she just can't resist giving him a hard time.</p><p>"Better not. I <em>will</em> hit you." She pauses, considering her options. "Or squirt milk at you."</p><p>Sam looks intrigued. "Can you actually do that? Like aim it?"</p><p>She shrugs. "I dunno. I feel like I've seen people joke about it before though." She grins at him. "I'll try later when she hasn't just drained me dry."</p><p>"Awesome," Sam grins. "I knew having kids with you was gonna be fun."</p><p>Mercedes laughs, letting her head drop onto his shoulder. "I wouldn't wanna do it with anyone else."</p><p>"Absolutely not," Sam agrees, gazing at the baby. "There's no way I could have made as beautiful a baby with anyone else." </p><p>"I was referring to the partnership we've got going on here, but sure, let's focus on the physical," she cracks.</p><p>He laughs. "Yeah, I knew what you meant," he says, squeezing her shoulder.</p><p>She smiles, her free hand catching Gabby's tiny little one, bending her head to kiss the little fingers. "She is gorgeous though, isn't she?"</p><p>"If we do say so ourselves," Sam replies with a grin and Mercedes laughs.</p><p>"I love you," she says softly, turning her head to give him a kiss before resting her head on his shoulder again.</p><p>"Love you too," he says, reaching out to gently stroke Gabby's little head of hair. He's still exhausted and he knows his wife is too. But somehow, he's pretty sure that they've also never been happier.</p>
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<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So, I'm not entirely sure where this came from and I'm kind of anxious about publishing it but - oh well, here we go. I guess this is in some ways a sequel of sorts to the last one-shot in this series. I hope you like it - please let me know!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>February 2025</strong>
</p><p>Mercedes glances in the backseat as she parks the car at CVS, almost as if she's making sure the baby is still there. She is and she's still peaceful too – Mercedes is betting she has at best maybe an hour or so to get home before Gabby gets hungry. She has no issue with women nursing in public – but she's not sure that she herself is yet ready to do that, so she wants to get her errand done and get home before she has to worry about that.</p><p>Still, she feels the need to talk to someone who can hopefully understand her feelings this morning and so she pulls her phone out of her purse and makes the call.</p><p>"Hey," Quinn's soft voice says in her ear. "How are you? Everything okay?"</p><p>"Hi," Mercedes replies. "Everything's fine. I'm sorry to call you in the middle of the workday – I just needed –"</p><p>"To talk to an actual adult?" Quinn says and Mercedes can hear the smile in her voice.</p><p>"Well, yeah, sort of. Gabby's cute, but she's not much of a conversationalist yet."</p><p>"Give her a few years. We're full-on in the midst of the 'no' phase right now and it's just as much fun as it sounds like," Quinn cracks. "Anyway, I've got a few minutes to talk, it's a slow day here. How is the little sweetie?"</p><p>Mercedes can't help smiling as she answers. She is so in love with her baby that sometimes she feels ridiculous, but she really just can't help it. "She started smiling at us for real the other day and it's the most amazing thing ever."</p><p>"It is, isn't it?" Quinn agrees.</p><p>There's silence on the line for a moment and then Mercedes gathers her courage. "Quinn – can I ask you – a personal question? I mean, you don't have to answer if you don't want to but – "</p><p>Quinn's quiet laughter cuts her off. "Mercedes, you've watched me give birth, twice. I'm not sure there's anything too personal between us. Hang on, just let me close my office door."</p><p>Mercedes reflects on her friend's words while she waits for her to return to the call.</p><p>"Okay, I'm back. What's up?"</p><p>"Okay. Um. After Jackson. How long was it before you and Ty were – together, again?"</p><p>"Oh," Quinn says in understanding as she takes a quick glance at the calendar and does the math. "She's about six weeks old, isn't she?"</p><p>Mercedes nods, even though Quinn can't see her. "I just left my checkup and my doctor says everything looks fine, physically, so it's okay and I just – "</p><p>"If you're not ready yet, emotionally, that's okay, you know," Quinn says, her feminist side pushing forth. "Sam will be fine. He's not pressuring you, is he?"</p><p>"No, no, of course not," Mercedes says quickly and Quinn smiles.</p><p>"I didn't think he would be, not really his style," she says. "I'm trying to remember – I think it was right about two, maybe two and a half months for us? And you know, Jackson was born the end of October, so it probably would have been a little sooner if we hadn't had the newborn insanity AND the holidays going on."</p><p>Mercedes sounds a little relieved when she says, "So it's not weird that I think I do want to already?"</p><p>"Of course not!" Quinn says, reassuringly. "Every woman, every couple is different. I once read an article about a woman who literally had sex with her boyfriend like two hours after giving birth."</p><p>"Oh my God," Mercedes says. "How the hell –"</p><p>"I'm guessing her epidural hadn't worn off yet or something," Quinn shrugs. "But even then, I cannot imagine."</p><p>"Me neither," Mercedes agrees. "I feel like I've been looking at Sam through, like, blurry glass since Gabby was born. Like, he's this very nice man and I love him and he's pleasant to look at but that's all that was registering. Until a couple days ago, when I was watching him get dressed for work and he turned around and smiled at me and suddenly all I could think was, holy shit, I <em>want</em> him."</p><p>Quinn laughs. "I've seen the khakis and polo shirts he wears for work too – you're either really ready or you just wanted him out of those lame clothes."</p><p>"Shut up," Mercedes laughs back before turning more serious. "The bigger problem is that I don't know if he wants me anymore."</p><p>"Are you crazy?"</p><p>"I'm serious," Mercedes insists. "You asked if he was putting pressure on me? It's the exact opposite. He hasn't said one word about sex since the last time we did it before she was born."</p><p>"And that was?" Quinn prompts.</p><p>Mercedes blushes a little. "Well – we decided to try the sex to induce labor thing. So, like seven weeks ago." She sighs. "It didn't really work, it was another three days before I finally went into labor."</p><p>"Yeah, didn't really work for us either," Quinn agrees. "But personally, thinking back to how I felt about my body at nine months pregnant, that fact that Ty still wanted to get naked with me did wonders for my confidence."</p><p>"I hadn't really thought about it that way," Mercedes says quietly. "It's definitely a good point."</p><p>"Thank you," Quinn says and Mercedes can hear the smile in her voice. "Anyway, I can just about guarantee he wants sex again at least as much as you do. But if I know Sam Evans, he's trying his damnedest to be the most patient and respectful husband on the planet and he's waiting for you to make a move."</p><p>"I don't know," Mercedes says slowly. "Maybe. I mean, as far as touching goes, there's not much more than hand-holding and chaste kisses. Like, less than when we were dating in New York. But he's also constantly telling me how beautiful I am and I haven't set foot in a grocery store since before she was born because he's doing the shopping and he either picks up dinner on his way home from the school or he's been doing most of the cooking."</p><p>"Now that is insanely hot," Quinn says with a laugh. "And an obvious seduction ploy. More men need to realize that doing domestic chores is one of the fastest ways to get a woman in bed with them. So yeah. My best guess is you have nothing to worry about. Just talk to him."</p><p>"Thanks, Quinn. I do feel better now."</p><p>"You're welcome. Oh and one other thing – "</p><p>After ending their call, Mercedes pulls Gabby's carrier out of the back seat and heads into the drugstore. She's always wondered why drugstores have little shopping carts, but she's grateful now, since as soon as she goes to grab a shopping basket, she realizes she can't carry both that and the baby carrier.</p><p>She feels like a teenager as she grabs other things almost at random and throws them in the cart – a bag of Doritos and some Chapstick for Sam, a People magazine and some M&amp;Ms for her. A bottle of Sam's shampoo, her body wash and some baby bubble bath for Gabby. Finally, she heads for the family planning aisle, the heat returning to her cheeks as she remembers the last part of her conversation with Quinn.</p><p>"<em>Oh and one other thing – and I'm sorry in advance, because I know this is probably way more personal than you thought this conversation would get, but, do you have any lube?"</em></p><p>"<em>No," Mercedes says, so caught off guard by the question that she answers truthfully without even thinking about it. "We've never needed it," she adds, the blush creeping up her face again as she realizes what she's saying.</em></p><p>"<em>You're gonna want to get some. Just trust me. Especially since you're exclusively breastfeeding. I guess the body is so focused on making milk that it doesn't worry about producing moisture anywhere else, no matter how into it you are."</em></p><p>"<em>Um. Well. Okay," Mercedes says, before sighing ruefully. "I have to buy condoms for the first time ever today too, so what's one more embarrassing personal item?"</em></p><p>
  <em>Quinn laughs incredulously. "You've really never bought condoms? Ever?"</em>
</p><p>"<em>I've never slept with anyone but Sam! And I was already on the pill when we got married, so we've never used them. But I can't go back on it yet and much as I adore this little munchkin – I don't want another one yet."</em></p><p>"<em>I feel you on that," Quinn agrees.</em></p><p>She'd told her to have fun and then they hung up. Now Mercedes eyes the shelves, grateful at least that she'd remembered that shoved way in the back of the cabinet under their bathroom sink there was still the last box of condoms Sam had purchased before their marriage, so she had dug around till she found it to note brand and size. The number of options is ridiculously overwhelming so she is really, really glad she'd thought to do that, since she has no idea what size Sam is as far as the condom companies are concerned.</p><p>"None of the boxes are labeled 'exactly right for me,'" she mutters under her breath, cracking herself up and then she realizes Gabby is awake and smiling at her from the carrier and she shakes her head.</p><p>"You better not be able to understand what Mommy is saying," she says to her and Gabby just grins bigger at the sound of her mother's voice. Mercedes glances at her phone, notes the time and quickly grabs the brand of lube that her Google search has told her is the best and heads for the checkout. At least it's the middle of the day and the cashier is an adult woman and not some teenage boy.</p><p>She makes it home and starts feeding Gabby before she's full-on screaming, so she feels like overall, the day is already a success. She even manages to get her magazine read while Gabby naps and she tries not to be too anxious about the evening ahead.</p><p>Gabby's awake again by the time Sam gets home. She hears the door to the garage open and close and then his voice calling, "Where're my girls?"</p><p>"In here," she calls back and he follows the sound of her voice to where she and Gabby are sitting on the couch, Gabby 'standing' on her knees.</p><p>"Who's that, Gab?" she says, in that goofy voice everyone seems to use to talk to babies. "Is that your daddy?" She turns the baby around to face Sam. "Say 'hi Daddy!'"</p><p>Gabby squeals and reaches for him as Sam smiles in response and takes her from her mother. "Hi sweetie. I missed you today," he says, kissing her cheek.</p><p>Mercedes stands up as she watches them, fondness on her face. Sam leans over to kiss her cheek too.</p><p>"Missed you too," he says and then, after really looking at her, adds, "You look really nice today."</p><p>She glances down at herself; she's not wearing anything more than black knit pants and a simple top, but they are her nicest pair of casual pants (that aren't jeans, because she's really just not ready for that yet) and the top isn't just a ratty old t-shirt and somehow, it doesn't have spit-up on it for once and she finds that she appreciates him noticing.</p><p>"Well," she says, "we actually left the house today, so I thought I should look presentable."</p><p>"Left the house?" Sam says curiously as he heads back to the kitchen and she follows him. He'd texted earlier that he would pick up sandwiches for dinner. "Where did Mommy take you, Miss Gabby?" he says to the baby.</p><p>"Doctor's office," Mercedes says as she grabs some napkins and brings them to the table.</p><p>Sam looks confused. "I thought she doesn't have another check-up until she's two months old."</p><p>Mercedes shakes her head as she opens the bag with their sandwiches in it. "No, my doctor. My check-up." She glances at him out of the corner of her eye, hoping he will understand without her having to fully spell it out.</p><p>He looks back at her from where he's set Gabby in her bouncer chair. "Oh," he says slowly and she thinks he gets it. "So – " he pauses, like he has no idea how to say what he wants to ask. "Are you – I mean, like – is everything – okay?"</p><p>She nods. "Everything looks fine." She takes a deep breath and decides to just cut right to the chase. "I, um – we – can –" she pauses, trying to recall how her doctor said it " –'Resume intimate relations, if desired.'"</p><p>He grins briefly at that phrasing before fixing her with a steady gaze. "Are they desired?" he asks quietly, a little hesitantly.</p><p>Mercedes nods again. "I think so, yeah. I mean, I haven't been this nervous about it since the first time, but – I, I want to. I don't know if you do, though."</p><p>He stares at her in disbelief. "You don't know if I want you?"</p><p>She's not really sure how to respond to that so she just sort of shakes her head and in two steps, he's across the room and she's in his arms and his mouth is on hers, kissing her thoroughly in a way he hasn't done in weeks.</p><p>When they finally break apart, both breathing hard, he says in a low voice, "I want you so much. But you know – YOU KNOW – I never want to be that guy, pushing you on anything, so I was trying to be respectful and give you time and space and – "</p><p>"And I should know that, I know, but – " she gestures at herself "- you know, there's a lot going on here that makes me feel really insecure right now."</p><p>"You shouldn't," he says firmly. "I know that's easier said than done, but, I mean, clearly you're still it for me." Sam steps back, glances over at Gabby. "Like, we fully just made out in front of our kid. With some light groping included. So that'll be a therapy bill one day."</p><p>Mercedes laughs. "She is six weeks old! She will never remember this." Then she laughs again, a little more self-consciously as she grabs the CVS bag off the counter and hands it to him. "If you're concerned about that, you really don't want to know what I bought in front of her today."</p><p>He looks inside the bag, eyebrows raised as he looks back at her.</p><p>She shrugs, trying to be nonchalant. "I don't want to get pregnant again yet, so I'm being responsible about birth control."</p><p>He nods, looking curious. "How did you know what to get without asking me?"</p><p>"There's an old box under our bathroom sink. Old enough that I don't trust them, but helpful otherwise."</p><p>Sam grins at her. "You're resourceful when you want something. And the other item?"</p><p>She looks down, feeling more shy about this part. "It was strongly recommended. And then literally every article I found on Google this afternoon backed that up. The out-of-whack hormones apparently lead to um, dryness, no matter how, um, aroused one might be."</p><p>She can see him nod and when she looks up, his eyes are searching her face, the love and desire clear to her, but also the concern. "Baby – we don't have to if –"</p><p>"I want to," she says firmly. "It's because of the breastfeeding, mostly, and you know I want to try to keep going with that until she's a year old and I'm definitely not interested in waiting that long."</p><p>He grins at that. "Is it really shitty of me if I say thank God?"</p><p>She laughs and shakes her head. "No, because that's making me feel a lot more confident about this." She pauses, takes a breath before continuing. "Also, speaking of the breastfeeding - you may get milk on you. I'll feed her before she goes to bed, obviously, but it could still happen. Just – fair warning."</p><p>Sam takes this in stride. "Okay. I mean, sex is really kind of gross and messy anyway when you get down to it, so what's one more bodily fluid involved?"</p><p>Mercedes laughs. "Okay. I guess you really do still want me."</p><p>"I totally do," he says, taking a step closer to her again. "The only thing I don't want is for you to feel rushed."</p><p>She closes the gap between them, running her hands up his arms and then looping her arms around his neck. "You're not rushing me at all. I mean, I'll be honest. If we were having this conversation last week, I would've told you that I didn't know if I was ever going to want to have sex ever again. But the other morning – you were getting ready for work and I had just woken up and you turned around and saw me and smiled – and it was like a switch flipped. Like – oh yeah, I remember, that's what lust is," she tells him, grinning.</p><p>Sam swallows. Thinking back, he's pretty sure he knows which morning she's talking about – he'd thought she might have been looking at him in a way she hadn't since before the baby's birth, but he'd squashed the thought down like he's done with every other sexual thought he's had in the last six-ish weeks. He inclines his head towards the baby. "How long till we can reasonably put her to bed?"</p><p>She laughs again, enjoying the mischievous look dancing in his eyes. Dear God, she loves this man, she thinks, as he leans down and kisses her again.</p><p>Sam's head is a mess of thoughts and emotions the rest of the evening. Ultimately, it's another several hours before Gabby is ready to eat again, so the time is spent the way most of their evenings are spent – Sam getting in the bulk of the time available to him to hold and play with and entertain his daughter. Thus far, she is, much to his disappointment, not really a fan of his impressions, and even cries at a few of the deeper-voiced ones. Mercedes has tried to make him feel better by saying it's because her brain isn't developed enough yet to understand why the voice doesn't sound right in one of the few faces she sort-of recognizes at this point and that probably, for example, Jimmy Fallon or Keenan Thompson's babies didn't care for their impressions at this age either, but it still stings, just a little.</p><p>Her opinion of his impressions aside, Sam adores his daughter. Like, loves her more than he could have ever even imagined. From the moment he first saw her, first held her, he knew that there was nothing he would not do for this little girl. After he'd stumbled into teaching as a profession, it became his passion, nurturing those kids, carrying on the glee legacy. But now – he took time off after Gabby was born, almost reluctantly returning to the classroom when she was two weeks old, and he still finds himself rushing home at the end of the day so he can sit around on the living room floor with his wife and his daughter, laughing with Mercedes at the silly faces Gabby makes, marveling together at the idea that they created this perfect little creature.</p><p>Mercedes. He's more in love with her than he's ever been and also kind of still in complete awe of her – giving birth, nursing on demand (thankfully no longer quite as round-the-clock as it was in the first few days), seeming to know everything Gabby needs on instinct. (He still can't help but believe this, despite the fact that there has been more than one instance of tears and talking her off the ledge at two in the morning. He's also taken her phone away on a few occasions when she's Googled herself into a panic.) He's been trying as hard as he can to be helpful in any way he can, including not mentioning just how much he's missing the physical side of their relationship. He's waited for her before, he can do it again, he's told himself – but New York was a long time ago and now he knows what he's missing.</p><p>Because, while it may have taken years to get there and while she still might get a little flustered or tongue-tied or shy about it on occasion, in the three-plus years they've been married, Mercedes has (as he always suspected she would) fully embraced that physical side and they have a pretty great sex life, even if he does say so himself. He meant what he told her earlier, that he was trying to be respectful and give her time and space and he can't help but feel a little guilty, a little sad that she had misconstrued that as a lack of interest. He definitely wants to make that up to her.</p><p>Eventually, Gabby does indicate that she's getting hungry, so Mercedes takes her upstairs while Sam makes the assumption that they will not be back downstairs again this evening and goes around to make sure all the doors are locked and lights turned off.</p><p>Task completed, he finds them upstairs in Gabby's room, Gabby happily nursing away while Mercedes holds one of her little hands, smiling beatifically at the baby.</p><p>"So beautiful," he says quietly, leaning against the door frame.</p><p>She looks up at him and her smile changes to a more mischievous one. "You don't have to flatter me," she teases, "I already told you I'm a sure thing."</p><p>He rolls his eyes, even as he lets his mind go places he's not entirely sure it should go when he's looking at <em>both</em> his wife and his daughter. "How do you know I was talking about you and not our daughter?"</p><p>She laughs. "Fair point," she concedes as Gabby finishes eating and Mercedes moves her to her shoulder for burping, patting her back and speaking softly to her. "There you go, that's a good girl. Now you need a fresh diaper, too."</p><p>"I got it," Sam says, moving into the room and reaching to take the baby from Mercedes. "For the record," he adds, kissing her cheek, "I did mean you, sure thing or not."</p><p>She ducks her head but not before he sees her smile.</p><p>"And, well, you too, actually," he says to the baby as he takes her to the changing table. "The most beautiful little baby in the whole world, yes you are." Gabby grants him a smile and it's like the whole world lights up.</p><p>Mercedes watches as he, pretty expertly at this point, changes the diaper. She marvels, not for the first time, at how she pretty much only has to do diaper changes during the workday when Sam is gone. She's tried protesting, but he counters that since, by default, he can't do middle-of-the-night feedings (or any feedings), it's only fair to split things this way. He has a point, so she's stopped fighting that battle.</p><p>She gets up, gets a clean sleeper out of the dresser and brings it over to Sam, who gets it put on her. Gabby's half-asleep already, totally milk-drunk, and it shouldn't take any time at all for her to fall fully asleep. Watching him with her, she feels the pangs of mom guilt.</p><p>"Are we horrible parents?" she asks suddenly. "Leaving her in here all by herself so we can – "</p><p>Sam looks over at her. He gets that she's genuinely concerned, however irrationally, but he can't resist teasing her a little. "Would you rather her be in our room with us while we get it on?"</p><p>"Oh my God, no."</p><p>He walks over to her, pulls her in against his side. "Look at her," he says softly, head inclined towards the baby nestled in the crook of his other arm. "She's just about out, she's gonna be fine. You know she'll be up again in like four or five hours and we can bring her in with us then." His fingers brush against the necklace she's wearing. "Making time to be us is important, remember? We're not just Gabby's mom and dad."</p><p>She nods. She knows he's right. And yet –</p><p>His voice interrupts her thoughts. "But it's okay if you've changed your mind, you know," he says quietly, gently. "I told you, this doesn't have to happen tonight."</p><p>And that does it – she definitely wants - needs – this to happen tonight. She grins up at him. "You cannot say seductive things like that to me in front of our child."</p><p>He tries not to laugh too loudly, for fear of waking the baby. "And all those years I was worried about whether I had any game or not. Little did I know the key was telling a woman she <em>doesn't</em> have to sleep with me."</p><p>"Hush and put that baby in her crib," Mercedes retorts, giving a quick kiss to one of Gabby's pajama-covered feet and then leaving the room before she loses her resolve.</p><p>He catches up to her just inside their room, pushing the door shut before sliding his arms around her waist from behind and trailing kisses down the side of her neck.</p><p>She smiles as she turns in his embrace. "Not wasting any time, huh?"</p><p>He grins back. "Well, we are on a little bit of time limit. I mean, we don't have to rush – but we don't have all night either."</p><p>"Good thing it's just about the only thing I've been thinking about all day."</p><p>His grin widens as she takes a step back and pulls her shirt up over her head.</p><p>It's funny, he thinks. He literally sees her with her shirt off or pulled up all. the. time. these days and it's pretty much become normal when she's feeding the baby, but in this completely different context – it just does things to him. The human brain has a remarkable ability to compartmentalize. He reaches out, pulling her back up against him, kissing her as his hands go to her back and the clasp of her bra.</p><p>"This okay?" he murmurs after sliding the straps down and off her arms, hands skimming back up her sides, just barely brushing the sides of her breasts.</p><p>She nods. "Yeah," she says softly. "You can touch them. Just –" she hesitates.</p><p>"Just what?" he prompts gently. "You have to talk to me, baby, I still can't quite read your mind."</p><p>She laughs at that. "God, that would make this so much easier. Like, then you'd know that I really wish your shirt was already off too."</p><p>Sam laughs and quickly obliges, yanking his shirt off and tossing it on the floor somewhere. "Done," he says, nudging her towards the bed, till they're lying there facing each other and his hand is sliding back up from her waist. "Now what were you afraid to say before?"</p><p>Mercedes bites her lip, worried about disappointing him before they've even really gotten started. "You can touch my boobs. But – can you keep it to hands only? It would just be too damn weird right now to have your mouth on them."</p><p>Sam starts to nod – this had actually kind of occurred to him already - but then she keeps talking. "And just – be gentle. Not that you're not always, but they're just really tender right now and you should probably avoid the nipples too and I'm really sorry, because I know they're, like, your favorite thing and I mean, I enjoy it too, but just not right now and mmph –"</p><p>He finally just leans forward and cuts her words off with a kiss.</p><p>"Sorry," she mutters when they break apart. "I know I'm probably ruining this for you."</p><p>"Baby, come on. Nothing is ruined."</p><p>"But –"</p><p>"But nothing. Basically, you're laying down rules that are the opposite of the New York days. You only want me below the waist and under the clothes and that is not a problem. Yeah, I love your boobs, so, bummer, but I'm actually getting to have sex with you, so I call it a win."</p><p>"Oh my God," she says with a laugh. "You're ridiculous. It's really okay?"</p><p>He gives her a 'get serious' look. "Listen, if all I was worried about here was me, I'd ask for a blow job and touch your boobs anyway. I want you to enjoy this too. It feels better to me when it feels good to you."</p><p>Mercedes smiles, cups his face in her hands and pulls him towards her for a long, deep kiss. "I love you so much," she says softly when they pause to breathe.</p><p>Sam grins back. "You have no idea how fucking much I love you," he counters, his voice a low growl against the side of her neck and she shivers as his kisses move lower. His hands just barely brush the tops and sides of her breasts with the lightest of caresses, even as the kisses move lower still.</p><p>"Language," she chides him teasingly, laughing when he looks up at her with an incredulous expression.</p><p>"Really? <em>That's</em> your focus right now?"</p><p>She shakes her head, reaching out to run her fingers through his hair. "Just giving you a hard time."</p><p>"You have no idea," he grins and she laughs again.</p><p>"Well, if you'd take your pants off, maybe I would know," she counters, even as she's lifting her own hips, as his hands are tugging down her pants and panties all at once.</p><p>"Excellent suggestion," Sam says, getting rid of his own clothes and then settling back down between her legs.</p><p>"Oh, yup," she says teasingly as she feels him against her thigh. "Now I see what you mean about the hard time." He just shakes his head and goes to kiss her, even as she can't help but laugh at the look on his face.</p><p>She's still laughing a little as he captures her lips with his again. There's a lot Mercedes loves about sex with Sam – his boundless energy, his deep-seated desire to please her and make her feel beautiful, the body he takes such good care of – but she really loves how much <em>fun</em> they have together. She doesn't regret waiting as long as she did but she's so glad that after all the angst about her virginity, sex turned out to be such a natural extension of their relationship. She loves how in a matter of minutes they can go from cracking stupid jokes to kissing each other senseless, like what's happening now.</p><p>The laughter fades and gives way to soft sighs, little gasps and moans as their hands and mouths wander and explore, taking their time, reacquainting themselves with each other.</p><p>"I think," Sam finally says, "it's time to see if I still remember how to put a condom on."</p><p>Mercedes giggles as he leans over to grab one from the box on the nightstand. "I'm not worried," she says softly. "I'm pretty sure it'll come right back to you. Or I can figure out how to help – you always say I'm a fast learner."</p><p>She's not wrong. The condom is quickly in place and Sam is moving his body back over hers when she stops him, hand flat against his chest.</p><p>"Sam –"</p><p>"What? What's wrong?"</p><p>Mercedes shakes her head. "Nothing, I just – this is the part I'm really nervous about and I think it might be better if I can be more in control, if that's okay – "</p><p>The words are barely out of her mouth before he's nodding and grinning. "You on top is always okay," he says as he scoots back against the headboard and she swings a leg over him, straddling his lap. He loves her on top – it gives him better access to the boobs he loves so much and even if she'd rather he not touch them too much right now, he still gets the great view, so it's all good as far as he's concerned.</p><p>She goes slow, Sam watching her face, concerned that she'll be in pain but push past it for his sake. It's a little uncomfortable at first, but that passes quickly (and she's definitely grateful for the advice about lube). His hands are on her hips, steadying her, as her hands grip his shoulders, lets herself adjust to his presence in her body.</p><p>"Ohhh, Sam." She breathes his name out in a blissful-sounding sort of sigh, leaning forward to press her forehead against his.</p><p>"Yeah," is all he can manage in response.</p><p>"I didn't realize – how much I've missed this," she whispers and he nods, knowing exactly what she means.</p><p>They stay that way for a moment, until the need to move overtakes them and they find a rhythm, rocking together, hands grasping, lips meeting, trying to somehow pull each other closer than they already are. It doesn't take long before she's crying out his name, collapsing against his chest, dimly registering as he reaches his own release underneath her.</p><p>"God, babe," Sam finally says. "I know it's been a while but that was – " He shakes his head, clearly at a loss for words.</p><p>"Intense?" Mercedes suggests, her voice muffled since her face is buried in his neck.</p><p>"Yeah?"</p><p>She nods. "Yeah. I re –" she starts to speak and then cuts herself off, knowing he'll tease her about it. He catches the sound, though, and just grins.</p><p>"Go ahead and tell me, I know you were probably Googling 'sex after giving birth' all afternoon."</p><p>"Shut up," she says, mostly good-naturedly. "I like to know what I'm getting into."</p><p>He snickers. "Or, more accurately, what you're getting me into."</p><p>"Oh my God." She tilts her head back, narrows her eyes at him. "Don't make me regret resuming intimate relations with you."</p><p>Sam shakes his head. "I never want that."</p><p>"Anyway, I read that apparently some women experience more intense orgasms after giving birth."</p><p>"Well, that's not a bad trade-off."</p><p>Mercedes laughs, shakes her head. "Not at all. I wasn't even going to hope that would be me, I was just terrified I'd be one of the women who talked about screaming in pain the second their man got even just a little bit inside."</p><p>Sam flinches, a horrified look on his face. "Yeah, that doesn't sound great for either party. I'm really glad you got option A, for both our sakes."</p><p>"Me too." She laughs as she slides off of him, stretching out beside him. "Oh," she says, noticing his chest, "I think I did get milk on you."</p><p>Sam shrugs, glancing down at himself. "Oh well. I've actually been wondering – and maybe this way it's not as weird - " He sticks his index finger in one of the white-ish spots of liquid and then puts the finger in his mouth.</p><p>Mercedes stares at him for a second. Then, finally says incredulously, "<em>That's</em> not as weird?" She shakes her head, mutters, "I could just express some in a cup if you really wanted to try it. You don't have to swipe it off your sweaty body."</p><p>He shrugs again. "Eh, whatever. Anyway, it's really sweet. Like, sugary milk or something."</p><p>"It's the lactose content, I think. There's more than in cow's milk."</p><p>"Didn't you say it can change flavor though?"</p><p>Mercedes nods. "Yeah, like when we had Mexican a few weeks ago and she cried all night. I think it was the onions."</p><p>"Poor kid. It's really cool though," Sam says.</p><p>Mercedes nods again. "Yeah. And like, if she gets a cold or something? The milk will change to produce whatever antibodies she needs. Isn't that crazy?"</p><p>"It's like, superpower type stuff." Sam looks impressed by this thought, then gets out of the bed, heads to the bathroom to dispose of the condom. "I'm going to take a shower. Want to save water and join me?" he calls back over his shoulder.</p><p>Mercedes shakes her head, smiling. "Depends. Are you trying to get lucky a second time already?"</p><p>Sam appears in the bathroom doorway, grinning at her. "I mean – if you're offering, I'm not saying no. But I honestly was just thinking more about feeling fresh before putting on clean jammies and trying to get a couple hours sleep before we have to go back to being mommy and daddy again."</p><p>"Oh, God, sleep," Mercedes sighs, even as she lets herself ogle his naked body for a moment. "I love you, but I'd really love some sleep too."</p><p>Sam shrugs. "I can live with quality sex over quantity."</p><p>Mercedes laughs and joins him in their bathroom.</p><p>Later, she has to admit that he was right. In a fresh tank top and sleep shorts, curled up in Sam's arms, head resting on his chest, she feels more relaxed and content than she has in a long time.</p><p>"Thank you," she says softly, as she's drifting off, not even sure if he's still awake or not.</p><p>"For what?" he replies, confused. "The sex, the shower - ?"</p><p>She shakes her head. "Not exactly. I don't know, really - for just – the husband you are, the father you are – I guess just for being the man that you are."</p><p>Sam shrugs, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "Well, then I guess thank you for being the woman who makes me want to be that man."</p><p>Mercedes laughs, tilts her face up towards his, lips finding his in the darkness. "I love you," she whispers.</p><p>"Love you too," he mumbles back and she can tell sleep is gaining on him. She lays her head back on his chest and drifts off to sleep.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Someone requested a piece dealing with prejudice due to Samcedes' interracial marriage and biracial children. I have a glimmer of an idea for a story involving the actual kids when they are a bit older, but this is the first bit that I was able to come up with. I hope that it works - I read quite a few articles trying to find the right way to frame the conversation. Interesting fact I learned in my research - the combination of a white man and Black woman makes up the smallest percentage of interracial marriages, but is the least likely to divorce. This could be because there are so few of them in the first place, but I found it interesting nonetheless. At any rate, I hope you enjoy - please let me know what you think!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>June 2025</p><p>The first time it happens, Sam is stunned.</p><p>And he feels a little stupid too, because he and Mercedes had talked about the possibility of stuff like this happening. She grew up here in Lima, she knows first-hand how ignorant the mostly white population can be. But he had thought, naively, he guesses now, that over the last thirty years or so, maybe things had changed.</p><p>Gabby's about six months old and they're in the local Kroger. He's standing with the grocery cart near the checkouts, waiting for Mercedes to come back with the juice they forgot at the back of the store, making faces at Gabby sitting in the front of the cart. An older lady pauses as she's walking by to smile at her and then says to Sam, "She's just gorgeous! Those curls and that skin tone!"</p><p>Sam smiles and thanks the lady. Yes, his daughter is indeed gorgeous, even if he does say so himself. She looks a lot more like Mercedes than she does him, but he can see himself in the shape of her eyes and the green that's been coming out more and more in her brown eyes, lightening them to more of a shade of hazel.</p><p>"Where is she from?" The lady's voice cuts through his admiration of his child.</p><p>"Huh?"</p><p>"Where is she from, what country?"</p><p>"Here. America," Sam answers slowly, still not quite catching on to what the lady is getting at, although perhaps some of that is that he doesn't really want to catch on.</p><p>"Oh, how lovely, a domestic adoption! That's wonderful, there's so many American children who need good homes and people just keep flitting off to foreign countries like that Angel Joelee lady."</p><p>Sam frowns, standing up straighter, unconsciously moving closer to the cart. "She's not adopted, she's my daughter. Biologically, I mean."</p><p>The lady looks at him, looks at Gabby and then back at Sam. "Are you sure about that?"</p><p>Before Sam can answer, Mercedes is back at the cart, putting two containers of juice in it. "I couldn't remember if we had apple juice left or not, so I got that too," she says before looking up and noticing the lady still standing there. "Oh. Hi," she says to the lady, before looking questioningly at Sam, who just shakes his head almost imperceptibly at her. It's not uncommon for him to run into parents or even grandparents of his students around town, but somehow this does not seem like one of those occurrences.</p><p>"Ah. Well, I guess so," the lady says and moves on, leaving Sam stunned and angry and Mercedes just confused.</p><p>"Babe," she says with concern, "Your face is really red. What happened?"</p><p>Sam shakes his head again. "I'll tell you in the car," he mutters. "Let's get out of here." He heads for the first open checkout he sees, Mercedes following behind him, still confused.</p><p>"Hey," she says as they start unloading the cart. "Why don't you take Gabby on out to the car? I'll take care of this." She doesn't know exactly what has happened, but she has an inkling, based on how that lady's eyes flickered over her, and she wants to let him have a minute to calm down.</p><p>He nods, pulling Gabby out of the cart and grabbing the little diaper bag they use on quick trips like this. She curls into his neck, gazing adoringly at him – if there is one thing in life that's true, it's that Gabrielle Yvonne Evans loves her father and she does not give a flip what color her parents are.</p><p>By the time he gets Gabby strapped into her car seat, Mercedes is coming across the parking lot with their cart full of bagged groceries. He meets her at the rear of the vehicle and they load the trunk in silence.</p><p>"You okay?" she asks quietly as they finish and Sam nods.</p><p>"Need me to drive?" she adds, grinning when he shakes his head vehemently.</p><p>"God, no," he says. "I love you, but – "</p><p>"Yeah, yeah, I know, I'm a terrible driver," she says, finishing the sentence for him. It's unfortunately mostly true – in the six years she was either living in New York City or on tour somewhere, she lost pretty much any driving skills she ever had. She's really not that bad - and she's never had an accident – but Sam definitely prefers her in the passenger seat if they're going somewhere together.</p><p>"So," she says as they get in their seats and get buckled. "You want to tell me what happened?"</p><p>And that's the thing. He kind of doesn't really want to tell her. As angry as that random lady has made him, he's reasonably sure that the situation is probably mild compared to whatever bullshit she's had to put up with over the years. But she's giving him that look, the 'Sam Evans, don't play with me' look and he knows he really has no choice. He sighs.</p><p>"That woman – she stopped and said something about how pretty Gabby is. And then she asked what country she was from. And when I said America, she started yammering about how great it was to see people adopt domestically and when I said, no, she's my biological child, she asked if I was sure. And that's when you came back."</p><p>Mercedes nods, her face unreadable.</p><p>"I figured it was something like that, the way she looked at me," Mercedes finally says.</p><p>Glancing over at him, she can see him clenching his jaw and she reaches over to take his hand, lacing their fingers together. His face softens as he looks at their hands, takes notice of the contrast of his pale, peachy fingers entwined with her darker brown ones. He doesn't often really think about it, that his wife is Black. Not in the bullshit 'I don't see color' kind of way, but in the simple, it's just part of who she is way. He doesn't really think about her brown eyes or brown hair or how much shorter than him she is on an everyday basis either, they're just simple basic facts about her physical appearance.</p><p>"I'm sorry," he says quietly and she scoffs.</p><p>"For what?"</p><p>Sam opens his mouth, closes it again without saying anything. He doesn't actually really know what he's apologizing for.</p><p>"For getting angry?" Mercedes asks. "You're allowed to get angry at ignorant people who make assumptions about your family."</p><p>"I just – feel stupid, I guess. I know we talked about this stuff when you got pregnant and even before then, but – "</p><p>"But the abstract idea is one thing and the reality is another," she says quietly and Sam nods.</p><p>"Yeah."</p><p>"Also, you can't apologize on behalf of every ignorant white person out there," she adds. "You're not responsible for how they act, the same way I'm not responsible for black people who make the rest of us look bad." She can't help but crack a smile as she says, "Ignorance may be the one thing that truly does transcend race."</p><p>Sam lets a snort of laughter slip out at that and then he shakes his head. "How do you do it though? I mean, I know this was really nothing in the grand scheme of things, I know you've heard worse in your life. How do you keep from blowing up at these morons?"</p><p>"How did you do it just now?"</p><p>"Bit my tongue practically in half," Sam replies.</p><p>"Felt you had no choice, right? Can't blow up at an old lady?" Mercedes prods and Sam nods.</p><p>"Yeah," he admits, a little sheepishly.</p><p>Mercedes shrugs. "That's how. There's generally no real option other than to just bite your tongue and seethe inwardly. Now, you, if it was someone our age, or younger – you might feel like you can say something. But I can't. I'd be seen as just another angry black woman."</p><p>Sam feels his heart twist with these simple, matter-of-fact words.</p><p>"That sucks," he blurts out and Mercedes smiles.</p><p>"Yeah," she agrees. "It does."</p><p>"Is it ever going to be better? Ever going to change?" Sam wondered, mostly rhetorically.</p><p>"I think so," Mercedes says. "I mean, it already has. Think about it – when my grandma was born, black women still didn't have the right to vote. When my mom was born – our marriage still wouldn't have been legal in all fifty states. That's not even sixty years ago."</p><p>"Wait – seriously?"</p><p>Mercedes nods. "Yeah. Loving vs Virginia, in 1967. That's when the Supreme Court struck down any laws banning interracial marriages."</p><p>Sam shakes his head. "Wow. When I think about all the things that kept us apart over the years, I can't even imagine the freaking law being one of them."</p><p>"Right?" Mercedes agrees. "Anyway – and then, think about how a Black man was actually elected President when we were in high school. My parents and grandparents never thought they'd see that day." She glances in the back seat, where Gabby has been happily babbling to herself, and drops Sam's hand to reach back and catch one of her little baby feet for a moment. "And our little girl will live her whole entire life in an America that's had a mixed-race Black and Indian woman as Vice President. Change is slow. It comes in bits and pieces. But that's how it happens – every generation things get a little better. Our kids will grow up thinking that it's totally normal to have a Black mom and a white dad, to have friends with two dads or two moms or who are Jewish or whatever."</p><p>Sam takes her hand again, squeezing it as she turns back to the front of the car.</p><p>"Thank you," he says, "for trying to help me understand. I know I'm supposed to do the work, the research and not expect you to educate me, but – "</p><p>Mercedes smiles indulgently. "Well, considering you're my husband and the father of my child, I guess I can cut you some slack. But only a little."</p><p>Sam laughs. "Fair enough. But also – consider this. You mentioned Kamala Harris before – you know how she's also married to a white man?"</p><p>Mercedes nods, not entirely sure where he's going with this. "Yeah…"</p><p>"You know what else you have in common with her?"</p><p>"I cannot imagine."</p><p>Sam grins. "She's not just married to a white man, she's married to a white man who's not afraid to step back and let his kick-ass, awesome Black wife be the star. And so are you."</p><p>Mercedes just looks at him for a moment before breaking into laughter. "Oh my God – pleased with yourself much?"</p><p>"Darn right."</p><p>Mercedes sighs mock dramatically. "I suppose you're right. But don't let it go to your head." She glances in the back seat again, smiles at the baby. "They say women can't have it all. But I think we can – just not all at the same time. So sometimes, yeah, I get to be Mercedes Jones, the pop star diva. And then other times, I get to just be Mercedes Evans, Sam's wife. Gabby's mom." She turns back to the front, leans over and kisses his cheek. "And both are pretty good people to get to be." She's quiet a moment and then adds, "And racist ignorant old ladies can suck it."</p><p>Sam laughs. "I love you."</p><p>She grins back at him. "Love you too. Now let's go home before my ice cream melts and you do have a black woman just a little angry with you."</p><p>At that, Sam does not waste time getting the car started and pointing them towards home.</p>
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<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter 13</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Another random slice-of-life inspired by my real life. I don't have kids (or a Sam Evans-type husband, unfortunately) but I did have an absolutely insane work week and a day that left me pretty overwhelmed. So, at least it inspired me a little - enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Mercedes met Sam at the door when he got home that night and shoved a sobbing twin in his arms.</p><p>“Take your child,” she said. “I quit.”</p><p>“Um, okay, hi?” Sam replied, both confused and concerned. “Shh, Allie,” he added, almost automatically, as the toddler laid her head on his shoulder and continued to cry. “Are you okay?” he asked his wife.</p><p>“Yes. No. I don’t know,” Mercedes said, sounding close to tears. “It’s just – “</p><p>Before she can get any further, there came a thump from the other room, followed by a wailed “Mooooooommmmm” – Sam was pretty sure it was Bri – and then Caleb’s voice hollering “I didn’t do anything!”</p><p>Mercedes closed her eyes for a second and then opened them again before yelling back, “Caleb Samuel Evans, I swear to <em>Jesus</em>, if you don’t leave your sister <em>alone</em> --”</p><p>She cut herself off, clearly at a loss as to what to actually threaten him with, and Sam laid a gentle hand on her arm. She shook her head. “I’m sorry. I’m just so done with today.” She nodded her head towards Allie, whose sobs had thankfully dwindled to whimpers. “She’s teething and I’m pretty sure Livvie will be too by tomorrow and Caleb and Brianna won’t stop torturing each other and Zoe’s at least trying to just ignore it all and Gabby is in a MOOD and I cannot take any of them for another second right now.”</p><p>Sam nodded, squeezing her arm. “Okay. Tag out, babe. I got it.”</p><p>“You sure? I haven’t even thought about dinner or anything…”</p><p>“I can order some pizza?” Sam suggested, sounding hopeful, and Mercedes smiled in spite of her crap-tacular mood.</p><p>“I don’t even care. You could take them all to McDonald’s for Happy Meals and that would be fine too.”</p><p>Sam snort-laughed at this. “You think I’m gonna take all six of them for food by myself? You may have actually lost your mind, today.”</p><p>“Ha. Very funny.”</p><p>Sam kissed her forehead and pointed her in the direction of the stairs. “Go. Take a bath, read a book, hell, stare at the ceiling for a few hours, I don’t care. Do what you need to do to decompress.”</p><p>She smiled gratefully at him. “You really are the best husband I’ve ever had.”</p><p>He laughed. “Also the only husband, but thanks. I think.”</p><p>“Yeah, you may want to hold off on that thank you until after you’ve dealt with our children,” Mercedes said, before she blew him a kiss and practically ran up the stairs.</p><p>Sam shook his head and then steeled himself to enter the chaos.</p><p>“Okay, who wants pizza?” Sam said as he went into the other room, the question greeted by enthusiastic cheers.  </p><p>It wasn’t a perfect evening, but somehow everyone managed to calm down a little bit, especially once the pizza arrived. Allie stayed glued to Sam right up until the point she finally fell asleep in his arms and while Olivia was clearly getting a little fussy too, he managed to get them both to take some baby Tylenol before Allison fell asleep, which seemed to help them both.</p><p>As he headed upstairs to put Allie down and start the bedtime process for the others, he could hear water running in his and Mercedes’ bathroom and hoped she was getting the break she’d so clearly needed.</p><p>For her part, Mercedes felt a little guilty just completely running away from everything, but she really had needed the break. She’d done a little writing, a little aimless scrolling through Facebook and Instagram and yes, she had actually just laid on their bed and stared at the ceiling for a little while.</p><p>Now, as she filled the tub with hot water and poured in a shit-ton of lavender bubble bath, she fought back further tinges of guilt as she could hear Sam out in the hallway saying, “Nope, bud, come on, it’s jammie time.” And then she couldn’t help but smile at Caleb’s almost maniacal little boy giggle. That child had tested every bit of her patience today – and Bri’s – but she still loved him desperately, just like she did all of them. They were just a LOT.</p><p>It wasn’t surprising, really, she thought as she sank into the bubble-filled hot water, when you considered the DNA they’d gotten from their parents. Her intensity, her diva tendencies. Sam’s enthusiasm, his zeal for everything. Both of them stubborn as hell in their own ways. It was no wonder their house was full of big personalities.</p><p>She had no idea how long she’d been soaking when a light knock sounded on the bathroom door.</p><p>“You can only come in if I didn’t give birth to you,” she called out and she could hear Sam laughing even before he opened the door.</p><p>“I think I’m flattered?” he said as he came in and leaned against the counter. “Since I’m the only one in the house who meets that criteria?”</p><p>Mercedes smiled. “Why do you think I phrased it that way?”</p><p>Sam shrugged. “I can’t blame you. Our children are complete hellions.”</p><p>“<em>Right</em>?” she agreed cheerfully. “Why’d we ever think parenting was a good idea?”</p><p>“THAT I blame on Kurt and Blaine,” Sam said. “’Have kids’ they said. ‘It’ll be FUN!’”</p><p>Mercedes laughed. “To be fair, we’re the dumbasses who had three times as many children as they do.”</p><p>Sam considered this statement. “I mean, we didn’t mean to have twins. We didn’t even mean for you to get pregnant that last time at all.”</p><p>“Yeah, the twins part isn’t our fault. But the pregnancy itself? That is on us, we were careless,” Mercedes said with a sigh. “Brianna is the only one we don’t have to take responsibility for. She was a straight-up birth control fail.”</p><p>Sam nodded. “I know.” (It was not the first time they’d had this conversation. It would probably not be the last time, either.)</p><p>“Well, anyway,” he said, “three of the afore-mentioned hellions are asleep and the next two almost are. And I told Gabby she could stay up and read for another half hour.”</p><p>Mercedes nodded, just looking at him for a minute. He certainly wasn’t perfect – no human is – and there were days where it would be just as likely that it was him who was shredding her last nerve, but in that particular moment, she could not imagine a better person to be sharing her life with.</p><p>“You’re staring at me,” Sam said. “It’s freaking me out just a little bit.”</p><p>She laughed, shaking her head. “Sorry, I zoned out for a second. Just thinking.” She smiled at him. “God really knew what he was doing when he picked us for each other,” she added softly.</p><p>Sam couldn’t help it, he smirked at her. “Um, you mean, when you finally decided to listen to Him and fly here and ask me to marry you?” he teased.</p><p>Mercedes rolled her eyes, waving a dismissive hand and accidentally flinging some bubbles in his direction. “You’ll never stop bringing that up, will you?”</p><p>“Nope,” Sam grinned. “I have bragging rights till death do us part, as the saying goes.”</p><p>She laughed at that. “Crazy man,” she muttered under her breath. Then, louder, as she went to stand up, “Will you hand me my towel please?”</p><p>He obliged, eyes flickering appreciatively over her body as she stepped out of the tub and into the towel he held open for her, wrapping it and his arms around her.</p><p>“Love you,” he whispered. “Glad you seem more like yourself again.”</p><p>Mercedes smiled up at him. “Love you too. Thank you for letting me run away for a little bit.” She stretched up to give him a kiss. “I owe you.”</p><p>He grinned. “Meet me in the bedroom after I shower? I’ve got ideas,” he said, raising his eyebrows at her.</p><p>She laughed, pretending to think about it. “Hmm, okay.”</p><p>Sam kissed her again before she stepped back and out of the bathroom to get her pajamas on and go peek in on the kids.</p><p>The twins’ room was first, the girls in their cribs, sound asleep. Mercedes’ heart ached for her babies – teething  is no fun for anyone, but especially for the little ones who don’t even understand what’s happening.</p><p>“Sorry Mama had a meltdown right along with you today,” she said quietly as she ran a hand over Allie’s hair and then Livvie’s too. “We’ll have a better day tomorrow.” She knew they couldn’t hear her, but it made her feel a little better at least.</p><p>She had to stifle a laugh when she got to Caleb’s room – although she would have bet money that Sam had securely tucked him in, he had already kicked off all the blankets and was sprawled almost sideways across his bed, arms and legs at all kinds of random angles. Shaking her head, she pulled one of the blankets up over him and dropped a quick kiss on his head.</p><p>Brianna was next, curled up in a little ball like always. Days like today made Mercedes second-guess their decision to wait and send her to kindergarten next year – she’d turned five in July, so she could have gone this year, but she still just seemed so young and so she and Sam had decided to put it off to the next year, especially since she was home with the kids anyway and it wasn’t like they were paying for daycare. She went to an extended day kindergarten-readiness preschool program, but she and Caleb were at each other’s throats basically from the moment Mercedes picked her up every afternoon and she was at a loss as to what to do about it. She made a mental note to ask Emma about it next time she saw her. She straightened her blanket and kissed her head too before heading on to the next room.</p><p>“Mama?” Zoe mumbled sleepily as Mercedes leaned over to give her a kiss.</p><p>“Yes, sweetie,” she replied, moving to sit next to her on the bed as Zoe rolled over and reached out to hug her.</p><p>“I missed you tonight,” she said, still mumbling a little, not entirely awake. “Daddy’s fun, but he’s not you.”</p><p>Mercedes bit back a grin at this statement. “I am one of a kind,” she agreed. “I missed you too, I just needed a little break.”</p><p>Zoe nodded, eyes fluttering closed again as her head dropped back to her pillow.</p><p>“Good night, sweetheart. I love you,” Mercedes said quietly.</p><p>“Love you too, mama,” came the mumbled reply and Mercedes smiled before heading down the hall again.</p><p>“I have three minutes left!” Gabby said as soon as her mother appeared in her bedroom doorway.</p><p>“I know,” Mercedes said, smiling. “Daddy told me. I just came to say good night.”</p><p>“Oh. Okay. Sorry,” Gabby replied, looking like there was more she wanted to say, but hesitating.</p><p>“Okay. Well, can I give you a hug and then you can finish your reading?” Mercedes asked and Gabby nodded.</p><p>“Mom?” Gabby said as Mercedes was leaning over to hug her.</p><p>“Yeah?”</p><p>“I’m sorry I was a brat today,” she said in a small voice. “I don’t even know why, I was just in a bad mood.”</p><p>“Oh, honey,” Mercedes said, sitting down on the bed. “It’s okay. We all have bad days. I kind of had one today too.”</p><p>Gabby nodded. “Dad said we were making you crazy and you needed a break.”</p><p>Mercedes had to laugh a little at that. Typical Sam. “Well, I don’t know that he should have said it in those exact words, but yeah. I needed a break. I feel much less crazy now.”</p><p>“But you still feel a little crazy?”</p><p>Mercedes grinned. “Well, I mean, I married your dad and had all you kids, so I’m sure someone somewhere questions my sanity.”</p><p>Gabby giggled and Mercedes hugged her again, adding, “But I love my crazy life. Wouldn’t trade it.”</p><p>Gabby smiled at that and after saying their good-nights, Mercedes headed out, back to her own bedroom.</p><p>Once there, she found Sam sprawled on his side of the bed, wearing just pajama bottoms, and he hadn’t even bothered to pull the covers back yet.</p><p>“Hey,” she said as she sat down on her side of the bed, scooting over towards him. “Would you believe Gabby just apologized for her rotten behavior today?”</p><p>He didn’t respond and she reached out, putting her hand on his chest. “Sam?”</p><p>Nothing but breathing. For the love of God, the man was asleep.</p><p>“Really, Sam Evans? Really?” she muttered, shaking her head at him as he slept on. “Fine. Don’t you dare complain to me about how long it’s been since whenever we last had sex,” she grumbled as she got under the covers, leaving him on top of them. She figured if he woke up cold at some point, that was his problem.</p><p>But she couldn’t stay annoyed with him for long, especially not after the way he’d swooped in and rescued her this evening. Sighing, she got comfortable beside him and drifted off to sleep.</p>
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<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Chapter 14</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Just a little Valentine's treat that popped in my head out of nowhere last night. Enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Hey guys," Sam said as he got out of the car he had just parked on the street in front of the house after coming home on a Thursday evening in February to find most of his children in the driveway. He received a variety of responses, from 'hey' (Zoe), 'Daaaaaaad!' (Caleb, whizzing past him on his bike), 'Hi Dad' (Olivia) and 'Daddddyyyy!' (Allison, as she came running at him, still his biggest daddy's girl, even at eight years old now).</p><p>"Hi!" he replied cheerfully, giving her a hug before walking up the driveway to where Zoe sat in a camp chair. "Where's your mom?" He glanced around, realizing there was a child missing – he and Mercedes both were so thrown off by only counting to five now that Gabby was off at college. "And Bri?"</p><p>"Bri has her piano lesson today," Zoe said. "Mom took her and then went to the salon. She said if she doesn't get done in time to pick her up, she'll text you to do it."</p><p>Sam nodded and grinned at his second-oldest child. "You know she can't wait for you to turn sixteen and get your license so you can help with the kid-schlepping."</p><p>Zoe grimaced. "Yeah, I know." She sighed. "Guess it beats being stuck at the house baby-sitting all the time." She looked up at the still brightly shining sun. "At least this is one of those weirdly warm February days and I could make them all come outside to play."</p><p>"Daddy, come see," Allison said, tugging at his arm, pulling him towards where she and Olivia were drawing with chalk on the driveway and proudly pointing at her drawings of hearts and flowers. "They're for Valentine's Day!"</p><p>"They're beautiful, sweetheart. I guess it is almost Valentine's, isn't it?"</p><p>Allison nodded. "Yup, on Sunday. Who's your Valentine, Daddy?"</p><p>Before Sam could answer, Olivia rolled her eyes and said, "Don't be stupid, Allie, it's Mom. Because they're married, so that's the rules."</p><p>Allison shook her head. "Nuh-uh, my teacher said Valentine's isn't just for married people – that sometimes it's your parents or your brother or sister or your best friend. So Daddy's Valentine could be us or Nanny or Uncle Blaine."</p><p>"That is definitely true," Sam said, sitting down on the driveway and pulling Allison into his lap. "Valentine's isn't just about married love – it's about all the people you love, like Allie said. Your parents, your siblings, your friends – everyone that's important to you."</p><p>Allison grinned triumphantly and stuck her tongue out at her twin, who scowled.</p><p>Sam held up a hand. "Don't get too cocky, yet, Allie. Because Livvie's right too – when you get married, your husband or wife probably should be your number one Valentine. So, yeah, your mom's my Valentine."</p><p>"Did you get her a present?"</p><p>"Or plan a big, romantic surprise?"</p><p>Sam blinked in surprise, caught a little off-guard by the questions. "How do you even know the word romantic?"</p><p>Olivia shrugged. "I'm eight. We have all the streaming channels."</p><p>Smart aleck, Sam thought, holding back a laugh.</p><p>"Anyway, did you?"</p><p>Sam shook his head. "No, I haven't planned anything. The thing is…" his voice trailed off as he tried to figure out how to explain it both in terms they would understand and vague enough that he wasn't sharing too many details of his and Mercedes' past. "Your mom and me – we had some pretty – not-so-great Valentine's Days back in high school." That was kind of an understatement – his first year at McKinley, where it turned out Quinn was cheating on him and Mercedes was despairing of ever even going on a real date in high school. The gigantic mess of her senior year and breaking up with Shane and then deciding not to date him either. Will and Emma's first non-wedding, where he hadn't missed Mercedes pointedly trying not to look at him and Brittany together (and Brittany trying to do the same with Santana and Quinn). When the holiday had rolled around while they were dating in New York, they'd agreed to ignore it entirely, since it seemed to be so cursed for both of them. And then, once married years later, they'd decided to continue with that tradition. They'd have some Valentine's candy, some years he had picked up flowers, occasionally she'd buy him a funny card, but overall, they tended to roll over February 14th as though it was just another random day.</p><p>Allie frowned. "So you just don't celebrate it?"</p><p>"I mean, I guess we sort of do. But not really."</p><p>"You really don't," Zoe said thoughtfully. "I've never really thought about it, but you guys don't. You make a big deal over each other's birthdays and your anniversary, but not Valentine's. It's kind of weird, actually, considering how schmoopy you and Mom are in general."</p><p>Sam shrugged. "Maybe that's why. Your mom knows how much I love her, 'cause I try to tell her and show her all the time. We don't need a holiday for that."</p><p>Zoe shrugged back at him. "Maybe not."</p><p>"But maybe she would really like a big surprise," Allie said, almost sounding hopeful. "Like – like – "</p><p>"Like flowers or jewelry or a fancy dinner," Olivia chimed in. "Like on TV."</p><p>"Yeah! We could help you plan it, Daddy."</p><p>Sam had to work hard not to laugh. They had definitely been watching too much TV.</p><p>"Okay, okay. Tell me your ideas."</p><p>-X-</p><p>Sunday morning was the usual chaos of getting such a large family up and ready for church in time. Most of the time they didn't even try to worry about making it for Sunday School; they figured if they at least got to the main service with all five of the children who were still at home, they were doing well.</p><p>"Where did your father go?" Mercedes asked of no one in particular, really, as she looked around, having realized that they'd lost Sam somewhere between the car and the sanctuary.</p><p>"I'm right here," he said, popping back up behind her and, when she turned to look at him, he held out a carnation with a stick pin in the short stem. "Happy Valentine's Day."</p><p>She smiled, surprised. "Where did that come from?"</p><p>He jerked his head in the direction of the door. "Sunday school class fundraiser, selling them outside."</p><p>"It's pretty, Mommy," Allie piped up.</p><p>"It is, isn't it?" Mercedes agreed, as Sam went to pin it on her dress. For a brief second, as his fingers inadvertently brushed the top of her breast, she found herself very thankful that they were not Catholic, because it was definitely a second filled with some impure thoughts that she would not want to have to confess to a priest.</p><p>"Thank you," she said softly, kissing his cheek before turning back towards the sanctuary doors. He took her hand as they walked in and found her parents in their usual seats and spread out along the pew beside them.</p><p>Mercedes unexpectedly found herself a little distracted during the service, thinking about Sam, warm and solid next to her, his arm stretched out along the back of the pew behind her. They'd decided so long ago that Valentine's had such bad memories connected to it for them, it truly always was a surprise when Sam acknowledged the day. But then, that was Sam – she'd known him for over thirty years now, been married to him more than twenty years – and he was always full of surprises, of sweet gestures both large and small.</p><p>She shifted a little closer to him on the pew, smiling when he glanced over and flashed her a quick grin and squeezed her shoulder before they stood up for the closing hymn.</p><p>"Mercedes," her mother said, grabbing her arm as they were filing out of the sanctuary after the service. "I need you to come home with me, I have a project I need your help with."</p><p>Mercedes looked at her mother in confusion. "Does it have to be today?"</p><p>"Yes, it needs to get done. I've put it off too long," Evelyn insisted.</p><p>"But, it's Valentine's Day," Mercedes protested.</p><p>Evelyn waved a dismissive hand. "You don't even like this holiday. You never have."</p><p>"I – but – no, I don't exactly, but we do try to spend it as a family," Mercedes sputtered helplessly, looking from her mother to Sam, who shrugged.</p><p>"Baby, it's okay. Your mom needs you," he said. "We can start our afternoon a little later. How long do you need her, Evelyn? An hour or so?"</p><p>Evelyn nodded. "Yes, exactly. I'll bring her home in about an hour."</p><p>Mercedes was looking at Sam and missed the wink her mother sent to her husband.</p><p>"I – okay," Mercedes finally said, recognizing that it was pointless to argue. When Evelyn Jones wanted something to happen, there wasn't much that was going to stop it.</p><p>The project turned out to be going through a bunch of old dresses in Evelyn's closet, from church or weddings or other random events, that she was trying to decide if she should keep or not. Mercedes didn't mind helping her out, but she did find it a bit odd that her mother had suddenly decided that this had to get done today, no questions asked.</p><p>"Okay, that's the last one," Mercedes said. "So, I don't mean to be rude, but can I go home now?"</p><p>"Not yet," Evelyn said distractedly, looking at her phone. "I haven't gotten – oh, damn it," she cut herself off, realizing she'd said too much.</p><p>Mercedes narrowed her eyes at her mother. "I knew something was going on! What is Sam planning?"</p><p>"Nothing."</p><p>"Nothing, my butt," Mercedes retorted. "I've known both of you long enough to know that something is up."</p><p>"Nothing that I'm allowed to tell you about," Evelyn amended. "And honestly, I don't really know much other than I'm supposed to keep you occupied until Sam lets me know –"</p><p>The text message sound chimed on her phone then and she finished saying "- that they're ready for you. Which they are, so get your behind in the car and let's go."</p><p>"Ugh, fine," Mercedes said as she got her purse and headed to her parents' garage.</p><p>When they got to her house and she had waved good-bye to her mother before heading to her front door, the first thing she spotted was the construction paper hearts taped all over the front door. She opened the door to find Allison standing behind a music stand in the entry way.</p><p>"Ah, hello, Mrs. Evans!" she said brightly, clearly carefully reciting a memorized welcome. "We've been expecting you."</p><p>"Well, thank you," Mercedes replied. "I'm not sure what you're expecting me for, but I'm sure it's lovely."</p><p>Allison nodded vigorously. "It is! Daddy said he hadn't planned anything for you and we gave him ideas and helped and –"</p><p>"AHEM!" came a voice from the living room and Allison cut herself off. "Oops," she said, giggling and pulling herself together to go back to her script. "Mr. Evans is waiting at your table," she said, "And this other Mr. Evans will escort you there."</p><p>"Oh, okay, wonderful," Mercedes said, smiling as Caleb emerged from the living room – clearly the one who had pushed his sister back on track – and offered his arm to his mother.</p><p>"This way, ma'am," he said, very seriously, and Mercedes tried not to smile too broadly.</p><p>"Thank you, sir," she replied, putting her hand in the crook of his elbow and letting him lead her to their dining room, where Sam was waiting, of course still in his church clothes, and holding a bouquet of her favorite flowers.</p><p>"Good afternoon, Mrs. Evans," he said, grinning in spite of the serious tone he spoke with, clearly still following the kids' script as he offered the flowers to her. "Thank you so much for joining me."</p><p>She grinned back at him, taking the proffered bouquet. "The pleasure is all mine, I'm sure." She turned to Caleb. "And thank you, young man, for being such a delightful escort."</p><p>Her son beamed. "You're welcome," he mumbled, before adding, "Your waitresses will be here soon," and then darting out of the room, leaving Sam and Mercedes alone for the first time since they'd woken up that day.</p><p>Sam went to take the flowers back from her. "Here, let me take those – they already made sure we had a vase on the table," he said, pointing at said vase in the center of their dining room table before putting the flowers in it and then turning back to her, reaching for her hand and pulling her towards him.</p><p>"Happy Valentine's Day," he said, dipping his head to give her a kiss.</p><p>"Happy Valentine's," she echoed after they broke apart, tipping her head back to look up at him. "Sam, this is – "</p><p>"It's too much, isn't it?"</p><p>Mercedes shook her head. "No, of course not. It's out of the norm for you, but one of the things I love about you is that even after all this time you can still manage to surprise me."</p><p>Sam grinned at that. "It's the twins doing, mostly, and you know how well I do at saying no to them. Well, to any of the kids," he amended. "But the other day, when they drew all the hearts and stuff on the driveway, they thought it was terrible that I didn't have any big plans for you for Valentine's. I tried to explain how we both feel about the holiday, but –"</p><p>"But they're eight," Mercedes said simply. "And they don't want to consider anything but that their parents have always been together and happy and in love."</p><p>"Right," Sam agreed. "So – I let them plan this. I guided a little bit, here and there, but it's mostly their ideas." He frowned a little, thinking. "I feel like they must have seen something on TV or something, kids plotting something for their parents."</p><p>"We did watch the original Parent Trap movie a few weeks ago, remember?" Mercedes said as Sam pulled her chair out for her before going to sit down himself. "The twins were very indignant about the idea of being separated."</p><p>"Which is interesting as much as they antagonize each other," Sam commented dryly.</p><p>Mercedes shrugged. "Just because they shared a womb doesn't mean they're any different from any other siblings."</p><p>"True," Sam agreed. "Anyway, is that it? Are they parent trapping us? Even though we don't need to be trapped?"</p><p>Mercedes laughed, his favorite laugh, the one where he could tell she was truly tickled by whatever he'd said. "Maybe," she finally said. She glanced around the room. "At least they didn't try to make our dining room look like Breadstix. That's a gift no one needs."</p><p>Sam nodded in agreement. "I believe we are being fed Italian food though," he said as Olivia and Brianna entered the room, each carrying a glass of water and a bowl of salad, followed by Allison with some garlic bread on a plate.</p><p>"Thank you, ladies," Mercedes said before looking at Sam. "I assume Zoe is our chef?"</p><p>"Yes," Brianna said before her father could answer. "Chef Zoe is finishing your spaghetti right now and it will be out shortly."</p><p>"Excellent," Sam said. "We're looking forward to it."</p><p>Mercedes managed to hold her laughter until the girls left the room and then the giggles exploded. "Oh my God, they're so damn cute."</p><p>Sam grinned. "Even if we did nothing else right our whole lives, we made some freakin' adorable children."</p><p>"I love you," Mercedes said, smiling as she leaned over to kiss him. "I love them, I love this surprise – this is perfect."</p><p>"It gets more perfect," Sam said, still grinning.</p><p>"Oh?"</p><p>"After they finish playing restaurant – they're going to your parents' house for the afternoon and evening," he said, wiggling his eyebrows.</p><p>"Oh, are they?"</p><p>He nodded. "Ostensibly so we can watch a movie together, but you know – if we're home alone, what do they know about what we might do?"</p><p>Mercedes laughed again. "Hopefully not much," she cracked as he leaned over and kissed her again.</p><p>Sam laughed as they broke apart from the kiss. "They probably know more than we want to think they do, but maybe that's their problem, not ours. Anyway – I love you. I couldn't ask for a better Valentine."</p><p>"Me neither."</p>
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<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Chapter 15</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>A few months ago I posted a piece in response to a request for something about Samcedes dealing with prejudice because of their interracial marriage and bi-racial children. I mentioned having a glimmer of an idea for another piece where the kids were older and here it is. It's a little rambling, but I hope it works.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>June 2033 (Gabby is 8, Zoe is 5 and Brianna is almost 1)</p><p>"Hi girls!" Mercedes says brightly as Gabby and Zoe come in through the back door. "How was day camp? Was it a nice surprise to have Daddy pick you up?"</p><p>She's taken aback when Gabby storms past her, stomping up the stairs and then, in the distance, a door slams.</p><p>"Zoe?" she says in confusion, looking at the younger girl, and then is completely bewildered when Zoe hurls herself at her mother and bursts into tears.</p><p>"Zoe, honey – " Mercedes is at a complete loss and when she looks at Sam as he comes in the back door, he seems just as bewildered.</p><p>"What the hell happened?" she whisper-hisses at him and he shakes his head.</p><p>"I have no idea," he says. "I could tell they were both upset when we got in the car but neither of them wanted to tell me why."</p><p>Mercedes has picked Zoe up by that point, despite her being almost too big for that, and she carries her into the living room to sit on the couch, rubbing her back in soothing circles as the little girl continues to cry, Sam following behind them.</p><p>"Zoe, sweetheart, it's okay," Mercedes says quietly. "Can you tell me what's wrong?"</p><p>Zoe shakes her head and Mercedes presses on, gently, but determined to get to the bottom of this. "Sweetie, Daddy and I can't help if we don't know what the matter is."</p><p>Zoe buries her face further into her mother's chest, saying something between sobs that sounds like 'not daddy.'</p><p>Mercedes looks at Sam over Zoe's head. "I don't understand."</p><p>"That makes two of us."</p><p>Mercedes sighs and stands back up, carrying Zoe with her. "Let's go up and see if Gab will talk."</p><p>Sam nods, following them up the stairs to Gabby's room, where Mercedes taps on the door. "Gabby? We're coming in."</p><p>"Fine," is the short response.</p><p>"Honey," Mercedes says as they enter the room and she sits on Gabby's bed, Zoe still in her arms, "something obviously happened at camp today that really upset you and your sister and we need to know what it was."</p><p>Gabby sighs heavily and looks down, obviously not wanting to talk. Sam sits down on the other side of the bed and says, "Gab, honey, whatever it is, you can tell us."</p><p>Gabby hesitates a few more moments and finally manages, "Tiffany said something mean. About Daddy."</p><p>Mercedes and Sam share a glance at that. Carefully, Mercedes prods, "Can you tell us what she said?"</p><p>Gabby hesitates again and suddenly, Zoe, who has seemed much calmer with nearly her whole family surrounding her, blurts out angrily, "She said Daddy can't be our daddy!"</p><p>"What?" Mercedes and Sam respond, almost in unison.</p><p>"Because he's white," Gabby mutters. "She said it's not possible."</p><p>Mercedes has never wanted to yell at a seven-year-old so much in her life.</p><p>"Girls," Sam says gently, "you know she's wrong. Of course I'm your dad."</p><p>"But you don't look like us," Gabby says quietly. "So maybe she's right."</p><p>"She's not right," Mercedes says firmly. "First of all, we've talked about how families don't have to match, right? Like how Aunt Britt didn't give birth to Liam, but she's his mama just the same, right?"</p><p>Both girls nod at this and Sam picks up the thread. "Or your Uncle Blaine and Uncle Kurt. No, they can't biologically both be Tracy and Hudson's dads, but they are definitely both their dads."</p><p>"And your dad is your dad," Mercedes says. "He has been since before we knew either one of you existed, he loved you from the second we knew about you and he was the very first person to hold each of you when you were born. Even before I did. And even though it doesn't necessarily matter, in your case, he is absolutely your biological dad too. I can guarantee you it couldn't be anyone else."</p><p>"How do you know?" Zoe asks curiously and even in the midst of her rage and concern, Mercedes has to try not to laugh as Sam's eyes meet hers, looking mischievous.</p><p>"I just know," she finally replies. "You'll understand when you're older." She hugs her tightly while Gabby moves closer to Sam, snuggling into his side. "And, no, your skin isn't the same color, but you do look like him in some ways," she adds. "Like the green in your eyes, Gabby. That comes from Dad."</p><p>Sam nods. "Yeah, and Zo-zo, your mom says that you and I make the exact same face when we're concentrating on something."</p><p>"You do and it's adorable," Mercedes teases and Sam rolls his eyes.</p><p>"And, look," he says, holding Gabby's arm against Mercedes'. "Your skin's not the same color as your mama's either – hers is darker. That's because you're a mix of both of us. Like when you put red food coloring into white frosting and it makes pink."</p><p>Both girls giggle at this comparison and Sam smiles at Mercedes over their heads. "Now the fact that you're both as beautiful as your mama," he says, grinning, "I had nothing to do with that."</p><p>The girls keep giggling as their mother rolls her eyes and swats at Sam's arm. "Stop," she says, shaking her head as Zoe looks up at her from her place in her lap.</p><p>"But you are beautiful, mama," she says, like it's the most basic fact in the world and Mercedes' heart kind of melts.</p><p>"And that's just like your daddy too," she replies, "being my biggest fan."</p><p>"Always," Sam says and Zoe nods emphatically as Gabby smiles her agreement too.</p><p>"Anyway," Mercedes says, "like Daddy said, you're a mix of both of us. Both of you – and your sister – are a little bit of me and a little bit of your dad and you're all absolutely perfect. And so is our family, so don't let Tiffany – or anyone else – tell you any different, okay?"</p><p>Both girls nod as the sound of crying comes from down the hall.</p><p>"Speaking of your sister," Sam says as Mercedes moves Zoe out of her lap and stands up, "sounds like she's ready for her dinner."</p><p>Mercedes nods as she heads towards the door. "Let me see if she wants to nurse at all and then I'll be down. Can you just turn the oven off?"</p><p>"Yup," Sam replies as he stands up too. "Come on, girls, let's get the table set while Mom gets Bri."</p><p>"Hi sweet baby," Mercedes says to her crying daughter as she enters her room. Brianna is almost a year old and ready to walk any day now. She's pulled herself up on the side of the crib, leaning against the slats to support herself while she holds her arms out to her mother. Mercedes continues murmuring nonsense at her as she picks her up and snuggles her into her arms, before sitting down in the rocking chair when it becomes apparent that Brianna does want to nurse, at least a little. After three children, Mercedes can tell she's getting close to being weaned and just like with the other two, part of her is thrilled, to know that she'll fully have her body back again - but part of her is a little sad too, to know that these quiet bonding moments with her baby will soon be no more.</p><p>She leans back in the chair, eyes closed, smiling briefly as she can hear the older two girls running down the hall to the stairs and then Sam's footsteps behind them.</p><p>"Hey," he says quietly, and she opens her eyes to see him standing in the bedroom doorway. "You okay?"</p><p>"Yeah?" she says and he frowns at her, stepping into the room.</p><p>"You sure? Or am I imagining the tears I see?"</p><p>Mercedes blinks a couple times, realizing that he's right, she is crying.</p><p>"I guess I'm not okay," she admits grudgingly and Sam smiles ruefully as he crosses the room and sits on the footstool in front of her.</p><p>"Hey, that in itself is okay," he says gently, reaching for her hand.</p><p>"Yeah?"</p><p>Sam grins. "Well, a really smart woman once told me it's okay to be upset when ignorant people make assumptions about your family," he says, squeezing her hand.</p><p>Mercedes smiles in spite of herself. "Nice to know that you do listen to me," she retorts. Then she sighs. "It just sucks. You know – you and I, we chose this. We knew – or at least we had an idea – of what we might encounter when we decided to be together. But our kids didn't get a choice. And they're just little girls! They shouldn't have to deal with this shit."</p><p>Sam just nods, staying quiet, letting her talk.</p><p>"I want to wring that little Tiffany's neck," Mercedes admits and Sam can't help but laugh.</p><p>"I think you could take her," he says and Mercedes grins.</p><p>"Appreciate the support, babe," she jokes. Then she sighs again. "But it's not her fault – she's only repeating something she's heard at home and I just – how do we fight that? How do we get other parents to realize that their words matter?"</p><p>Sam shakes his head. "I have no idea."</p><p>"Should I talk to the camp counselor tomorrow? Or try to talk to the mom or dad?" Mercedes wonders aloud.</p><p>Sam considers the question. "You probably should say something to the staff when you drop them off tomorrow. Just so they're aware."</p><p>Mercedes nods as they both fall quiet for a moment and then the silence is broken as Brianna pops off the breast and turns her head, squealing with delight at the sight of her father.</p><p>"Dadadadadada!"</p><p>She reaches for him and he smiles and takes her from Mercedes.</p><p>"Gee, you're welcome, kid," Mercedes grumbles good-naturedly as she gets her bra and shirt back in place. "I'm keeping you alive here, but let's be all about Daddy!"</p><p>"She just has good taste in the man she wants to spend time with. Like her mother," Sam says with a grin.</p><p>"Oh my God," Mercedes mutters under her breath. "You're an idiot," she says, albeit affectionately.</p><p>"Yeah, but as always, I am your idiot and you love me," he counters.</p><p>She shakes her head. "My fatal flaw." Then she laughs. "You know how they say women tend to marry men like their dad? What are we gonna do if all three of them bring home a fool like you?"</p><p>Sam grins. "Have the BEST time at Thanksgiving."</p><p>Mercedes laughs harder. "Yeah?"</p><p>"Absolutely! I'm not gonna be one of those jackasses who tries to scare the crap out of their daughter's boyfriends. I'm going to trust that I have set an example for how a man should treat the woman he loves and that anyone they bring home is gonna be a good dude. Or dudette, for that matter." He lifts Brianna in the air over his head. "'Cause you girls can love whoever you love, yes you can," he says as she squeals with laughter. "Man, woman, black, white, Latinx, Asian – I don't care, as long as they treat my girls right."</p><p>Mercedes feels the tears filling her eyes again and she walks over to him, wrapping her arms around his waist and pressing her face against his chest. He brings one arm down around her, pulling her close against his side as he props Bri on his other hip.</p><p>"Hey," he says softly, "what'd I say?"</p><p>She tips her head back, smiles at him. "All the right things. Like you always do."</p><p>He grins at that, leans over, kisses the top of her head. "Love you," he says.</p><p>"I love you," she replies. "And I'm glad I married you. And had kids with you. No matter what the challenges might be. I think it's worth it."</p><p>Sam keeps grinning, squeezes her tighter to his side. "That makes two of us."</p>
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